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# The Americana Foundation

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://americanafoundation.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Beyond the High Chest: Expanding the Story of American Furniture](https://americanafoundation.org/beyond-the-high-chest-expanding-the-story-of-american-furniture/) - When most people hear the term "masterpiece," they imagine an object of exceptional beauty, craftsmanship, or historical importance. But who decides what qualifies as a masterpiece? And how have those decisions shaped our understanding of American history? These questions are at the center of Challenging Masterpieces: Art and Identity in American Furniture, a major exhibition
- [Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library – $50,000](https://americanafoundation.org/winterthur-museum-garden-library-50000/) - Challenging Masterpieces: Art and Identity in American Furniture "Challenging Masterpieces" will spotlight Winterthur's renowned American furniture collection to explore past and present definitions of "masterpiece." The exhibition will highlight diverse skills, design ingenuity, regional attributes, and use of rare materials to inspire appreciation for the creativity that went into this craft and instill deeper understanding
- [The Farmers Land Trust – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/the-farmers-land-trust-25000/) - Earthen Heart Farmland Commons The Farmers Land Trust will use this grant to work with land donor Julian Lauzzana, young Black farmer Alita Kelly, West Michigan Young Farmers, Access of West Michigan and others to establish the 501(c)(25) Earthen Heart Farmland Commons in southwestern Michigan. A farmland commons is an innovative model in which local
- [Goodwill Northern Michigan – $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/goodwill-northern-michigan-20000/) - U-Pick Gives Back: Strengthening Farms and Communities Through Local Food This grant will support "U-Pick Gives Back," a pilot project that will enable customers at U-pick farms to round up purchases and contribute directly to ensuring that their food-insecure neighbors have access to locally grown food. Farms will use the funds generated to purchase their
- [Denver Art Museum – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/denver-art-museum-25000/) - Blackfeet Perspectives in the Art of Charles M. Russell The Denver Art Museum will use this grant to present an exhibition entitled "Blackfeet Perspectives in the Art of Charles M. Russell." The exhibition will explore Russell's representations of and relationships with Blackfeet (Niitsitapi) art, culture, and community, and will pair Russell's works with Blackfeet art
- [Climate, Water, and Place: Why Small Grants Matter in Complex Systems](https://americanafoundation.org/climate-water-and-place-why-small-grants-matter-in-complex-systems/) - At the Americana Foundation, our work in natural resources has reinforced an important lesson: meaningful environmental progress rarely occurs in a straight line. Issues such as water quality, watershed restoration, and climate resilience are shaped by interconnected systems - ecological, economic, political, and social. Because of this complexity, progress often depends not only on technical
- [Early-Stage Support and Lasting Impact: Lessons from an Investment in Food Access](https://americanafoundation.org/early-stage-support-and-lasting-impact-lessons-from-an-investment-in-food-access/) - At the Americana Foundation, we have long believed that foundations making modest grants play an essential role in philanthropy-particularly when ideas are still forming, outcomes are uncertain, and larger investments have yet to materialize. Our grantmaking experience has shown us that well-timed, carefully scoped support can help promising approaches move from concept to practice and,
- [Building Community Stewardship to Protect the Rouge River and the Great Lakes](https://americanafoundation.org/building-community-stewardship-to-protect-the-rouge-river-and-the-great-lakes/) - With support from the Americana Foundation, Friends of Rouge Park plans to strengthen community-driven stewardship of Rouge Park - one of the most ecologically significant and under-resourced landscapes in Southeast Michigan. At more than 1,100 acres, Rouge Park contains 4.7 miles of the Rouge River, a major tributary to the Detroit River and Lake Erie,
- [Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/saugatuck-dunes-coastal-alliance-25000/) - Educating and Advocating to Enforce Kalamazoo River Mouth Protections This grant supports scientific modeling and visual evidence needed to uphold prior state and federal decisions denying permits to a proposed private marina development that threatens critical dune systems, groundwater-fed wetlands, and Tribal cultural landscapes at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River. MI-EGLE and the US
- [Friends of Rouge Park – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/friends-of-rouge-park-25000/) - Community Driven Stewardship in Rouge Park to Protect the Great Lakes This grant will strengthen Rouge Park's natural ability to mitigate impacts of flooding and stormwater overflow impacting the community and the Great Lakes by investing in community-driven stewardship model. Working closely with the City of Detroit, Friends of Rouge Park will expand its Lead
- [Detroit Hives – $10,500](https://americanafoundation.org/detroit-hives-10500/) - Urban Hives Project Detroit Hives will use this grant to install and maintain 8 to 10 honeybee hives adjacent to urban farms in the Brightmoor Community of Detroit. Urban growers in Detroit have reported reduced yields due to gaps in pollination caused by shrinking pollinator habitat, land fragmentation, and lack of investment. Detroit Hives will
- [Brick Store Museum – $10,000](https://americanafoundation.org/brick-store-museum-10000/) - From Many, One: Results of Revolution This grant supports the Brick Store Museum, which was founded in 1936 and is housed in a landmark 1825 general store and four adjacent early 19th-century buildings in Kennebunk, Maine, as it embarks on a transformative project to expand upon the one-man narrative of the town's history that grew
- [American Folk Art Museum – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/american-folk-art-museum-25000/) - Potential Threads: Un-Raveling and Un-Settling the American Sampler With this grant, the American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) will convene a public event in February 2027 entitled Potential Threads: Un-Raveling and Un-Settling the American Sampler to discuss and interpret artworks presented in the upcoming AFAM exhibition entitled Locating Girlhood: Place and Identity in Early American "Schoolgirl"
- [Muskegon River Watershed Assembly Launches Friends Initiative](https://americanafoundation.org/muskegon-river-watershed-assembly-launches-friends-initiative/) - With support from the Americana Foundation, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA) launched the Friends of the Muskegon River initiative to strengthen community-driven stewardship across the Muskegon River watershed-a large and complex system that ultimately drains to Lake Michigan. The project focused on reconnecting area residents to watershed protection and restoration work, particularly in smaller communities
- [Taste the Local Difference – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/taste-the-local-difference-25000/) - Fresh Food Connections: Wholesale Readiness This grant supports a pilot project designed to expand Michigan's local food infrastructure by helping mid-sized, often BIPOC-owned farms in the greater Flint region transition from direct-to-consumer markets into wholesale channels. By pairing individualized readiness assessments with marketing tools, producer stipends, and facilitated connections to institutional buyers, the project builds
- [Keep Growing Detroit – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/keep-growing-detroit-25000/) - Rooted in Sovereignty Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) will use this grant to strengthen the social infrastructure that underpins Detroit's large and diverse urban agriculture network. Through a year of interconnected programming-including seasonal grower gatherings, intergenerational storytelling and cultural workshops, hands-on education, and citywide events-KGD aims to deepen the relationships, shared knowledge, and cultural continuity that
- [Central Lake Superior Watershed Partners – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/central-lake-superior-watershed-partners-25000/) - Merging TEK and Green Infrastructure with Coastal Tribal Communities In this project, Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP) and three Tribal communities in the Upper Peninsula-Keweenaw Bay, Bay Mills, and Hannahville-will design and install culturally informed green infrastructure that improves water quality and protects vulnerable coastal habitats. The project combines Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), youth conservation corps
- [Huron River Watershed Council – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/huron-river-watershed-council-25000/) - Catalyzing Green Stormwater Infrastructure This grant supports the expansion of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) in three southeast Michigan communities-Ypsilanti, Belleville, and Van Buren Township-that have been identified as having the watershed's highest flood vulnerability and greatest environmental justice concerns. In this project, HRWC will pair public listening sessions with the development of 2-3 site-specific GSI
- [Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation](https://americanafoundation.org/contemporary-anishinaabe-art-a-continuation/) - On November 6, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) welcomed the Americana Foundation Board of Trustees for an exclusive tour of Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation, led by Dr. Denene De Quintal, the DIA's Associate Curator for Native American Art, who also serves as an Americana trustee. The exhibition, which is the DIA's first major Native American‑art exhibition in roughly 30 years, showcases the
- [Whose Revolution? Reframing the American Revolution at the Concord Museum](https://americanafoundation.org/whose-revolution-reframing-the-american-revolution-at-the-concord-museum/) - As the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts, has taken bold steps toward reshaping how we remember its beginnings. In March 2025, the Museum opened a new special exhibition entitled Whose Revolution, which explored the many different meanings of revolution in the decade leading up to
- [New Grant to GVSU-WGVU will Support a Documentary Honoring Michigan Statehood](https://americanafoundation.org/new-grant-to-gvsu-wgvu-will-support-a-documentary-honoring-michigan-statehood/) - The Americana Foundation is pleased to award a grant to GVSU-WGVU Public Media in support of Frontier to Freedom: Wilderness, Revolution, and Michigan Statehood, a new documentary produced by Manitou Films for PBS. This one-hour film will mark the nation's semi-quincentennial by exploring Michigan's evolution from a vast wilderness to its emergence as the 26th state
- [Strengthening Volunteer Power for Great Lakes Conservation](https://americanafoundation.org/strengthening-volunteer-power-for-great-lakes-conservation/) - This month, the Americana Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) for its Volunteer Capacity Initiative: Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Impact. Founded in 1996, KLT protects more than 9,500 acres and nearly 10 miles of Lake Superior shoreline in Michigan's western Upper Peninsula. The organization works with landowners to create
- [Detroit Black Community Food Security Network – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/detroit-black-community-food-security-network-25000/) - Building Toward Zero Waste at the Detroit Food Commons DBCFSN will use this grant to support community-centered food waste composting operations at the Detroit People's Food Co-op (DPFC), a member-owned grocery store cooperative in Detroit's North End neighborhood. DBCFSN believes that food waste composting is a critical component of a closed loop food economy, "where
- [Keweenaw Land Trust – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/keweenaw-land-trust-25000/) - Volunteer Capacity Initiative: Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Impact This grant will support the Volunteer Capacity Initiative at the Keweenaw Land Trust. The project will transform KLT's long tradition of volunteerism into a robust, well-supported program that trains and retains local stewards of the nearly 10 miles of Lake Superior shoreline that KLT protects. By
- [Flint Social Club – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/flint-social-club-25000/) - The People's Mart With this grant, Flint Social Club will install critical infrastructure in "The People's Mart," a community-powered food hub that will create markets, storage capacity, and processing infrastructure for small- and mid-sized Michigan growers, food processors, and emerging food entrepreneurs, especially those from BIPOC, immigrant, and low-income communities. The Food Hub also will
- [Telfair Museums – $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/telfair-museums-15000/) - Roots in the Rushes: African American Basketry of the Lowcountry This grant will support a planned exhibition at the Telfair Museums in Savannah, GA that will focus on the bulrush basket craft tradition historically practiced by communities of enslaved individuals from West Africa that blended features of their heritage with European American cultural traits and
- [GVSU - WGVU Public Media – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/gvsu-wgvu-public-media-25000/) - Frontier to Freedom: Wilderness, Revolution, and Michigan Statehood This grant will support the production of a documentary with the working title "Frontier to Freedom: Wilderness, Revolution, and Michigan Statehood," which is being filmed in recognition of the U.S. semiquincentennial. The documentary will explore the rich and often overlooked history of Michigan, tracing its evolution from
- [Laying the Groundwork for a Regional Food Hub in Jackson](https://americanafoundation.org/laying-the-groundwork-for-a-regional-food-hub-in-jackson/) - In May 2025, the Americana Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to Grow Jackson to support the planning phase of a new regional food hub that will serve South Central Michigan. The initiative aims to address longstanding gaps in food systems infrastructure and expand market access for local farmers and food entrepreneurs-while giving consumers in Jackson
- [Strengthening Small Livestock Farms Through Peer Collaboration: Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology](https://americanafoundation.org/strengthening-small-livestock-farms-through-peer-collaboration-crosshatch-center-for-art-ecology/) - In May 2025, the Americana Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology to pilot a peer-based support network for small-scale livestock producers in northwest Lower Michigan. This initiative aligns with our goal of transforming regional food systems through ecologically sound, locally rooted strategies that center the needs of growers,
- [Historic Deerfield, Inc. – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/historic-deerfield-inc-25000/) - Luce/Americana Curatorial Fellowship With this grant, Historic Deerfield will create a one-year fellowship position (the Luce/Americana Curatorial Fellow) to research, share, and publish new scholarship on early 19th-century New England women artists. These artists often defied expectations, overcame serious obstacles with determination, and challenged gender roles to create artworks of significant value and importance. The
- [Grow Jackson – $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/grow-jackson-20000/) - Food Hub Planning Project This grant will enable Grow Jackson to complete a plan and strategy for developing a regional food hub in Jackson County to strengthen the local food economy and fill a critical infrastructure gap in South Central Michigan. The planned food hub will include a year-round farm stop (a locally sourced, consignment-based
- [Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/crosshatch-center-for-art-ecology-25000/) - Strengthening Small-scale Livestock Producers in Northwest Lower Michigan Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology will use this grant to support a pilot initiative designed to strengthen small-scale livestock farming systems in Northwest Lower Michigan. The initiative will create a business-to-business collaborative of livestock farmers that will work to identify and overcome barriers to small-scale livestock
- [Craft in America, Inc. – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/craft-in-america-inc-25000/) - American Handwork, a publication in conjunction with Handwork 2026 Americana awarded this grant to Craft in America to support a publication (American Handwork) that will trace the trajectory of American craft to reveal America's collective heritage. The book will focus on 100 defining objects of material culture from pre-contact, Colonial America, and the 19th, 20th,
- [Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/citizens-for-a-safe-and-clean-lake-superior-25000-2/) - Educating and Advocating for Wetland Protections in Marquette County - Phase 2 This grant will support the second phase of a targeted program to strengthen wetland protections in Powell, Marquette, and Chocolay townships in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, along the shores of Lake Superior. In the first phase of the project, Citizens for a Safe and
- [Revolutionizing Icons: Reimagining the 18th-century Art of the Americas Galleries at the MFA Boston](https://americanafoundation.org/revolutionizing-icons-reimagining-the-18th-century-art-of-the-americas-galleries-at-the-mfa-boston/) - In 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary (the "Semiquincentennial") of its founding, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the onset of the American Revolution ("America250"). State and local governments, museums, historical associations, and other cultural and civic institutions across the country are developing programs designed to commemorate the importance of
- [Pewabic Pottery – $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/pewabic-pottery-20000/) - Clay Mixer Restoration This grant will support the restoration of the 1912 clay mixer at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. The clay mixer has been in continuous use for over 100 years and is emblematic of Pewabic's iconic history of creating ceramic art and tile for homes, businesses, cultural institutions, and public spaces throughout southeast Michigan
- [Edison Institute – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/edison-institute-25000/) - The Oxbow and Suwanee Lagoon Mycoremediation Demonstration Project With this grant, The Henry Ford (THF) and the Mushroom Conservatory (TMC) will work together to pilot a water quality restoration project grounded in "mycoremediation" - a developing field of environmental restoration that utilizes the biochemical properties of certain fungi to extract contaminants from water and sediment.
- [Argus Farm Stop / Fair Food Network – $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/argus-farm-stop-fair-food-network-15000/) - Partnership to Expand the Farm Stop Model Farmers, consumers, policymakers, and others are interested in learning about and expanding the farm stop model. Farm stops are everyday farmers markets where farmers own and price their products but importantly can return to the farm while their products remain on sale daily and year-round. Argus Farm Stop
- [Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – $37,500](https://americanafoundation.org/museum-of-fine-arts-boston-37500/) - Revolutionizing Icons: Reimagining the 18th-century Art of the Americas Galleries This multi-year grant will support the reinstallation of the 18-century Art of the Americas galleries at the MFA Boston in preparation for the U.S. 250th anniversary. The new galleries will include paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and works on paper from the period 1680 to 1820
- [Socially Responsible Agriculture Project – $25,058](https://americanafoundation.org/socially-responsible-agriculture-project-25058/) - Water Rangers Program Expansion: Supporting Rural and Native Communities in Michigan The Socially Responsible Agriculture Project (SRAP) will use this grant for outreach to and engagement with residents of rural Michigan to combat pollution caused by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). CAFOs in Michigan have been shown to pollute the environment, threaten public health, destroy
- [Michigan Good Food Fund’s Seed Awards Benefit Michigan Farmers and Food Businesses](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-good-food-fund/) - Small farmers and early-stage food entrepreneurs face numerous challenges as they work to build sustainable businesses and create or strengthen local food systems. At the earliest stages, these businesses may be perceived as too risky for traditional financing or may lack the capacity and network relationships needed to obtain sustainable funding. Small financial boosts, such
- [Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior Turns its Attention to Wetland Protection](https://americanafoundation.org/citizens-for-a-safe-clean-lake-superior-turns-its-attention-to-wetland-protection/) - Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior (CSCLS) is a grassroots organization that was formed in 2020 to engage the citizens of the central Upper Peninsula to protect and improve the coastal habitat, shoreline, and fresh water of Lake Superior. CSCLS uses investigation and research, public education and outreach, community engagement, and legal advocacy to
- [Muskegon River Watershed Assembly - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/friends-of-the-muskegon-river-25000/) - Friends of the Muskegon River Conservation projects that preserve, protect, restore, and sustain the Muskegon River are most efficient, impactful, and economically sustainable when local communities and stakeholders are actively engaged. This grant will enable the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly to create up to four "Friends of the Muskegon River" groups to facilitate local community
- [Legacy Land Conservancy - $15,900](https://americanafoundation.org/legacy-land-conservancy-15900/) - Protecting Local Water Quality Through Permanent Land Protection This grant will provide the final 5% needed to permanently protect 35 acres of critically important property in the Stony Creek region of the Huron River Watershed in southeast Michigan. The property is mostly wooded with extensive wetlands and 3,000 feet of frontage on a tributary to
- [Freshwater Future – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/freshwater-future-25000/) - Increasing Capacity of Northern Michigan Environmental Groups Northern Michigan (Northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula) contains some of the state's most pristine and sensitive water resources - cold water trout streams, untouched Great Lakes shorelines, and high-quality inland lakes. Because critical decisions that impact water are made at the local level, community engagement in
- [Eastern Market Corporation – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/eastern-market-corporation-25000/) - Eastern Market Microloan Revolving Fund Eastern Market has an extensive portfolio of programs that support small food businesses and food entrepreneurs in Detroit, MI. Through these programs, Eastern Market has learned that the greatest and most common challenge that food entrepreneurs face when trying to grow or scale their businesses is accessing lending capital. With
- [Concord Antiquarian Society – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/concord-antiquarian-society-25000/) - "Whose Revolution?" This grant will support "Whose Revolution?," a special exhibition at the Concord Museum in Concord, MA that will be on view from March 28 to September 1, 2025 and is part of the museum's celebration and commemoration of America250. This exhibition will explore the complex and often contradictory meanings of revolution during the
- [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation – $32,000](https://americanafoundation.org/colonial-williamsburg-foundation-32000/) - Worlds Collide: Archaeology and Global Trade in 18th-Century Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg will use this grant to create a contextual video to accompany "Worlds Collide," an exhibition of archaeological materials excavated in Williamsburg, VA, that will be on view at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum from October 2024 through October 2029. The display will highlight
- [Asbury Community Development Corporation – $30,000](https://americanafoundation.org/asbury-community-development-corporation-30000/) - Asbury Farm Incubator Project Asbury CDC will use this grant to launch a farmer incubator program in Flint, MI. Asbury will develop a business plan and pilot an incubator program that provides resources and training to new farmers interested in growing food for themselves and the community. The project will increase the output of Asbury's
- [Americana Welcomes Three New Trustees to the Board](https://americanafoundation.org/americana-welcomes-three-new-trustees-to-the-board/) - The Board of Trustees of the Americana Foundation welcomed three new members at its recent meeting in August: Denene De Quintal, Liz Kirkwood, and Kathryn Underwood. All three bring substantive expertise and a deep commitment to Americana's program work and will help to guide the Foundation's strategy in the coming years. Americana's Board looks forward
- [MSU Tollgate Staff and Volunteers Dedicate the “Founders Garden” in Honor of Adolph and Ginger Meyer ](https://americanafoundation.org/msu-tollgate-staff-and-volunteers-dedicate-the-founders-garden-in-honor-of-adolph-and-ginger-meyer/) - For many years, the Rose Garden at MSU Tollgate Farm was one of the oldest and most beloved gardens on the property. The garden produced rose blooms for decades and was a favorite of visitors and volunteers. Kate Harper, long-time Americana Board Member and granddaughter to Adolph and Ginger Meyer, said that the garden always
- [Slave Dwelling Project, Inc. – $8100](https://americanafoundation.org/slave-dwelling-project-inc/) - Keynote at the 8th Annual Slave Dwelling Project Conference Featuring Michael Harriot This grant will support the keynote address at the 8th Slave Dwelling Project Conference, October 3-5, 2024, in Philadelphia. This year's theme, The Illusion of Freedom: Slavery in the Northern States, will explore American chattel slavery in northern states prior to and after
- [Live Zero Waste, Inc. – $10,000](https://americanafoundation.org/live-zero-waste-inc-10000/) - Reducing Plastic Waste in Ypsilanti Live Zero Waste, Inc. will use this grant to extend a successful plastic reduction campaign in Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti. The ultimate goal is to reduce plastic use along the Huron River, which has more microplastics than any other Great Lakes tributary. Live Zero Waste will use education and outreach
- [Growing Hope, Inc. – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/growing-hope-inc-25000/) - Cultivating Accessibility and Sustainability in Ypsilanti's Food System Over the past two decades, Growing Hope has continuously moved the needle to address chronic diet-related health diseases and food insecurity within the Ypsilanti area. Despite progress, many community members continue to experience barriers to fresh produce. Growing Hope will use this grant to invest in garden
- [Empowering the Next Generation to Embrace Civic Responsibility: Civic Season by Made By Us](https://americanafoundation.org/empowering-the-next-generation-to-embrace-civic-responsibility-civic-season-by-made-by-us/) - We are in an era marked by a significant decline in civic engagement, especially among young people. A 2022 study from the American Historical Association found that knowing history is correlated to higher levels of civic engagement, but according to the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation), only 27% of young
- [Americana Board of Trustees Honors Long-time Trustees Gary Rentrop and Bob Janson](https://americanafoundation.org/americana-board-of-trustees-honors-long-time-trustees-gary-rentrop-and-bob-janson/) - In May 2024, the Americana Foundation honored two long-time colleagues upon their retirement from the Board of Trustees. Gary Rentrop, a resident of Cross Village, MI, retired in December 2023 after serving on Americana's Board of Trustees for nearly 44 years. Gary, an attorney in the partnership of Rentrop & Morrison, was a close advisor
- [Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/citizens-for-a-safe-and-clean-lake-superior-25000/) - Educating and Advocating for Wetland Protections in Marquette County Deregulation and devaluation of wetlands over the years has resulted in the destruction of about 50,000 acres of wetlands in Marquette County, 20,000 of which are in coastal areas. Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior (CSCLS) is working to raise local awareness of the
- [Huron Pines – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/huron-pines-25000/) - Catalyzing Community Action to Protect Lake Huron Through its Lake Huron Forever initiative, Huron Pines works with community leaders, volunteers, and other organizations to implement projects that strengthen the health and well-being of residents and improve or protect water quality in Lake Huron. This grant will bolster Huron Pines' efforts in three Lake Huron coastal
- [Made By Us – $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/made-by-us/) - Civic Season Made By Us' Civic Season program works to connect 18- to 30-year-olds to the U.S. national story. Only 27% of Americans in this age demographic have basic knowledge of U.S. history and only 16% are proud to live in the United States. Museums and historic sites, with credible expertise across the field of
- [Make Food Not Waste – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/make-food-not-waste-25000/) - The 2030 Project In the fall of 2023, Make Food Not Waste (MFNW) proposed to help Michigan reach its goal of cutting food waste in half by 2030 by redirecting the food waste in Southeast Michigan's top 15 most populated cities away from landfills. Dubbed The 2030 Project, the plan attracted funding from the Michigan
- [Valley Forge Park Alliance – $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/valley-forge-park-alliance-25000/) - Unveiling the Untold: Illuminating African American Stories at Valley Forge Recent research has identified 112 civilians and 521 soldiers of African descent who were engaged at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. This grant will support an initiative by the Valley Forge Park Alliance to uncover and disseminate the often-overlooked narratives of these individuals. The
- [Edison Institute - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/edison-institute/) - Developing Edible Education in Greenfield Village 2023 This grant will support the development of the first Edible Education "walkshop" at Greenfield Village to help visitors to the reconstructed Detroit's Central Market understand how food is grown, prepared, and consumed, and how the food system affects personal, community, and environmental health.
- [Michigan State University Extension - $130,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-extension-130000/) - 2024 Programming and Operations This grant will be used for general operating purposes at Tollgate Farm in Novi, MI. Tollgate leadership and staff will use the funds to cover staffing costs, materials and supplies, marketing and outreach, and to prepare for emergencies and contingencies.
- [United Way of Northeast Michigan - $30,000](https://americanafoundation.org/united-way-of-northeast-michigan-30000/) - Continuing to Foster a Circular Economy Rooted in Regional Food Systems This grant will enable a coalition of organizations to continue their efforts to strengthen local markets and community-based food systems in Northeast Michigan. Specific efforts will include (1) expanding direct-market opportunities for small- and medium-scale farms; (2) foster connections across the region that support
- [Partridge Creek Compost - $21,840](https://americanafoundation.org/partridge-creek-compost-21840/) - Engaging Upper Peninsula Communities in Composting and Food-System Education Partridge Creek Compost (PCC), along with its partner organization, Partridge Creek Farm, are dedicated to building a resilient local food system in Ishpeming, MI and across the Upper Peninsula. PCC will use this grant to increase curbside collection of compostable materials by 25 households per month
- [Clinton River Watershed Council - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/clinton-river-watershed-council-25000/) - Assessing High Priority Water Quality Improvement Projects in the Clinton River Watershed The Clinton River Watershed Council will use this grant to collaborate with other organizations in the watershed to (1) identify high-priority, shovel-ready or near shovel-ready projects eligible for federal funding, and (2) modernize existing watershed management plans so they incorporate concerns created by
- [Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/jamestown-rediscovery-foundation-25000-feb-2024/) - Legacies of 1619: Law and Race at Jamestown The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation will use this grant to expand its public programming to create a self-guided tour focused on the First Africans who arrived in Virginia in 1619. The tour will cover two central themes: (1) the origins of the rule of law in America and
- [Fair Food Network - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/fair-food-network-25000/) - Michigan Good Food Fund Seed Awards Fair Food Network will use this grant to provide direct seed grants to Michigan-based food and farm enterprises that have a demonstrated commitment to promoting local agriculture so they can grow their businesses and/or prepare for additional financing. Successful applicants will be identified by a Stakeholder Board of entrepreneurs,
- [Michigan History Foundation - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-history-foundation/) - Gchi Mshijkenh Deh Minising/Heart of the Great Turtle Island This grant will support a collaborative effort involving the State of Michigan, four tribes, and local partners in developing and interpreting the west side of Straits State Park in St. Ignace, MI. The project will add Anishinaabe context to the story of Michigan told at the
- [Exhibition co-sponsored by the Americana Foundation explores an untold chapter in American history](https://americanafoundation.org/news-march-10-2023/) - A landmark exhibition co-organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art will focus on the work of Black potters in the 19th-century American South. The exhibition presents approximately 60 ceramic objects from Old Edgefield District, South Carolina, a center of stoneware production in the decades before the Civil War,
- [Little Traverse Conservancy - $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/little-traverse-conservancy/) - Raising Response-Ability to Conserve Wild Lands The Little Traverse Conservancy will use this grant to support the development and initial implementation of an Ecological Conditions and Response (ECAR) protocol to support stewardship planning and inform the implementation of stewardship activities at the 25,000 acres of lands it protects as nature preserves and working forest reserves.
- [Hessel School House Corporation - $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/hessel-school-house-corporation/) - Nature Discovery Series Avery Arts & Nature Learning Center will use this grant to support a nature education series designed to inspire the community in the Eastern UP to become more connected to the natural world. Adult presentations and workshops will address such topics as the impacts of climate change, invasive species and wildlife management,
- [Detroit Hives - $18,500](https://americanafoundation.org/detroit-hives/) - GO GREEN Botanical Garden This grant will support a partnership between Detroit Hives, MSU's Detroit Partnership for Food Learning and Innovation (DPFLI), and DPFLI's neighbors in Detroit that will design, plan, and implement a community pollinator garden. The garden will include more than 300 seasonal perennials, an integrated pest management plan, and educational signage. Detroit
- [United Way of Northeast Michigan - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/united-way-of-northeast-michigan/) - Fostering a Circular Economy Rooted in Regional Food Systems This grant will expand programs that connect small- and medium-sized farmers in northeast Michigan to communities in need of fresh local produce. Project partners will establish pop-up farmers markets in eight communities, connect farmers to food service facilities at senior centers, schools, and other institutions, and
- [Black to the Land Coalition - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/black-to-the-land-coalition/) - Detroit Sugarbush This grant will support a partnership between Black to the Land Coalition, a team of urban Indigenous leaders, the City of Detroit, and other local organizations that are creating an urban sugarbush in Rouge Park. The purpose of the sugarbush is to connect Detroiters to Indigenous experts in the cultural tradition of making
- [DPS Foundation - $7,500](https://americanafoundation.org/dps-foundation/) - DPSCD's Horticulture Program This grant will provide one year of supplemental salary support for a horticulture teacher at Randolph Career and Technical Center. The Randolph CTE provides high school students with a career pathway education program that includes hands-on learning, job shadowing, project learning, apprenticeships, and certifications in various fields, including horticulture.
- [Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch - $9,300](https://americanafoundation.org/mackinac-straits-raptor-watch/) - Straits Area Migration Station This grant will support the purchase of five cellular backpack transmitters (with associated data costs) that researchers at MSU use to track and map the migratory pathways of redtail hawks at the Mackinac Straits.
- [Soo Locks Childrens Museum - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/soo-locks-childrens-museum/) - Interactive Tree Exhibits for the Nature-Themed Section This grant will enable the Soo Locks Children's Museum in Sault Ste. Marie, MI to install an interactive exhibit consisting of floor-to-ceiling interactive trees that will feature nature-based and native traditional information to engage children in learning about seasonal changes, their impact on wildlife, waterfowl, and fish, and
- [Michigan Sustainable Business Forum - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-sustainable-business-forum/) - Benton Harbor Justice 40 Initiative: Building Sustainability Capacity MSBF will use this grant to recruit and retain a sustainability project manager to support the City of Benton Harbor and to work alongside local community-based organizations, regional institutional partners, and state/national benefactors to develop and execute climate justice and sustainability programs and initiatives to capture opportunities
- [Bethany Housing Ministries dba Community Encompass - $5,000](https://americanafoundation.org/bethany-housing-ministries-dba-community-encompass/) - McLaughlin Grows Educational Garden This match grant will leverage funds raised from other sources to construct a growing space next to an existing community farm in Muskegon. The new space will include no-till farm beds that students from area schools can use to grow and harvest produce that they can take home to their families.
- [Allen Neighborhood Center - $5,000](https://americanafoundation.org/hunter-park-gardenhouse-school-field-trip-pilot-program/) - Hunter Park GardenHouse School Field Trip Pilot Program This match grant will leverage funds raised from other sources to expand a field trip program that enables schools and youth groups in the Greater Lansing area to deepen their connection to local food systems and learn about nutrition, botany, and other farm and garden educational topics.
- [Make Food Not Waste](https://americanafoundation.org/make-food-not-waste/) - Make Food Not Waste on College Campuses Make Food Not Waste will use this grant to create and deliver a behavior change program directed at college students. The purpose of the program is to reduce consumer food waste, which remains the greatest source of food waste in the food system. The program will focus on
- [Headwaters Land Conservancy - $16,000](https://americanafoundation.org/planet-detroit-copy/) - Landowner Stewardship Resources Assistance Headwaters will use this grant to launch an educational stewardship-based program to help private landowners in northeastern Michigan improve land management practices. Private land conservation and management will help to create corridors of sustainable habitat to support the growth and preservation of Michigan flora and fauna. Headwaters will offer the program
- [Planet Detroit - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/planet-detroit/) - Community Journalism Training for Detroit Residents This grant will help Planet Detroit launch a community journalism training program. In this program, Planet Detroit will train community reporters to report on sustainability issues in their neighborhoods and communities, such as local food production and security, vacant lot and alley activation, housing rehabilitation and development, and habitat
- [Americana partnership with Michigan State University endures for more than 30 years](https://americanafoundation.org/news-june-3-2019/) - People often ask Americana staff and trustees about the partnership that exists between the Foundation and MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center. In 1987, the Foundation's founders - Adolph and Ginger Meyer - gave Michigan State University 60 acres of their beloved Tollgate Farm located within the city limits of Novi, Michigan along with a
- [Growing Hope promotes access to fresh, healthy food for the community and earns mission-aligned revenues](https://americanafoundation.org/news-july-9-2019/) - Growing Hope (Ypsilanti, MI) launched in 2003 with a mission of setting up and supporting school and community gardens. Today, its activities are much broader - producing organic vegetables and flowers at its one-acre urban education and demonstration farm, operating two farmers markets, one of which is a year-round market hosted at their Ypsilanti Farmers
- [Building the Conservation Field while Preserving Expressions of Cultural Heritage](https://americanafoundation.org/news-august-31-2019/) - The work of restoring historical furniture, buildings, and other items is often detailed and meticulous. Conservators must recognize materials, construction techniques, and surface preparations used in a historical object and then use specialized tools - often small tools like those a dentist uses - and sometimes chemical treatments to uncover the item's original features and
- [Asbury Farms Connects Neighbors While Producing Fresh Local Food for its Flint Community](https://americanafoundation.org/news-january-7-2020/) - Asbury Farms (Flint, MI) works to strengthen its neighborhood by transforming blighted and underused land into community gardens and supporting local residents interested in growing fresh food or earning a living from food production. The idea for Asbury Farms arose out of the strategic decision of the leaders at Asbury Community Development Corporation to be
- [Have you ever been to Hessel, Michigan?](https://americanafoundation.org/news-february-11-2020/) - Hessel, Michigan is an unincorporated village in the eastern end of the Upper Peninsula. Known for its great fishing, antique boat show, and annual Aldo Leopold Festival, its "up North" character and location near the Les Cheneaux Islands makes it a wonderful spot for summer travelers. A key feature of the village is the Hessel
- [Edible Flint supports the urban farming community in Flint so that neighbors can access healthy food and reconnect with the land and each other](https://americanafoundation.org/news-april-16-2020/) - Edible Flint grew out of efforts to address issues of food insecurity and challenged access to healthy food, increasing rates of health problems resulting from inadequate nutrition, and increasing amounts of abandoned property and vacant land in Flint, Michigan. It was created by early partners like the Ruth Mott Foundation, the Genesee County Land Bank,
- [Restoring the Great Clock at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello](https://americanafoundation.org/news-june-23-2020/) - The Great Clock at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia is one of Monticello's most familiar and celebrated objects. The clock was built to Thomas Jefferson's specifications and has remained in the Hall at Monticello since 1804. "It is a rare survivor and an original artifact," explains Gardiner Hallock, Robert H. Smith Director of Restoration
- [Old Sturbridge Village Offers "Journey Through Food" Program to Connect Middle School Students to the Source and Value of Food](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-febuary-24-2021/) - Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor living history museum located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. For 75 years, the Village has depicted life in a rural New England town during the period of 1790 to 1840. The Village features historic buildings, collections of Americana, costumed historians, and programs in agriculture, horticulture, households and trade shops (pottery, woodworking,
- [New WDET series, "Rooted," highlights the work of land tenders and community healers in Detroit](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-june-03-2021/) - In February 2021, Americana awarded a grant to support the launch of a new series on WDET titled "Rooted." WDET launched the series in large part due to the realization over the past year that everything is much more connected than we might believe. The series will consist of stories hosted by WDET's Annamarie Sysling
- [Diplomatic Reception Rooms at U.S. Department of State use Decorative Arts to Increase Understanding of Early American History](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-june-25-2021/) - Decades ago, furniture and decorative arts contributed by Americana's founders, Adolph and Ginger Meyer, served as a key part of the historic redecoration of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms in the Harry S. Truman Building in Washington DC that houses the U.S. Department of State. The Meyers contributed to the project to increase appreciation for early
- [New Documentary Film and Educational Series Celebrate Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-september-03-2021/) - In August 2021, Americana awarded a grant to the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey/Traverse City to support the production of a television documentary and educational classroom series that explores and celebrates the history, traditions, culture, and natural resources of Michigan. The sixty-minute documentary film entitled Michigan: An American Portrait explores how the people of Michigan have
- [The Next Generation of the Adolph and Ginger Meyer Family Selects The Henry Ford, For Love of Water, and the I-Collective as Grant Recipients](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-september-20-2021/) - From May 2020 through August 2021, five "next generation" members of Americana's founding family participated in a program that introduced them to Americana's mission, program areas, trustees, and staff. The Next Gen cohort included Jessie Harper, Kyle Harper, Ashley Thomas, Jennifer Thomas, and Nathan Thomas, all of whom are great-grandchildren of Adolph and Ginger Meyer,
- [A Minute Before Midnight: The Alliance of Leadership Fellows Develops Dialogues to Spark Action on the Global Climate Crisis](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-march-2-2022/) - The Alliance of Leadership Fellows (ALF) will use a recent grant from Americana to develop a series of Climate Crisis Dialogues that will enable climate advocates to share perspectives about how differing forms of evidence and impact---while they converge in painting a devastating picture---must be understood and integrated in building new connections and fostering alliances
- [Micah 6 Community: Building the Neighborhood that Pontiac Deserves](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-june-3-2022/) - Coleman Yoakum, founder and Executive Director of Micah 6 Community, came to Pontiac in 2012 hoping to serve a neighborhood that had high crime, high foreclosure, and high unemployment. He and a group of equally passionate and capable friends bought a house in Pontiac, formed Micah 6 Community, and became part of the neighborhood. The
- [Americana Next Gen Cohort Selects Three 2022 Grantees](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-september-27-2022/) - In the spring and summer of 2022, the "next generation" of Americana's founding family participated in the second year of a program designed to introduce them to Americana's mission, program areas, and priorities. The Next Gen cohort includes Jessie Harper, Kyle Harper, Ashley Thomas, Jennifer Thomas, and Nathan Thomas, all of whom are great-grandchildren of
- [Historic New England: Expanding the Traditional Historical Narratives of New England Life](https://americanafoundation.org/posts-january-24-2023/) - For more than a century, Historic New England (HNE) has engaged audiences to develop a deeper understanding and enjoyment of New England home life. HNE's 38 historic homes, farms, and landscapes across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island span four centuries and feature a variety of architectural styles, beautiful gardens and natural areas.
- [EARTH University - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/copy-of-earth-university-25000-1/) - Student Solidarity Fund To create a permanent Student Solidarity Fund managed by Earth University's Student Affairs Department that will provide zero interest loans for students to help with vision, dental, or other emergency costs.
- [EARTH University - $30,000](https://americanafoundation.org/earth-university-30000/) - Marty Fluharty Scholarship Endowment Fund To complete the funding of a $500,000 endowed scholarship fund that provides scholarships to deserving undergraduate students in EARTH University's entrepreneurial leadership program.
- [EARTH University - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/earth-university-20000/) - EARTH Scholarship Fund This grant was requested by Marty Fluharty, Americana's past Executive Director, as part of a grant allocation that the Board of Trustees awarded in honor of her retirement in 2018. Marty chose EARTH as a recipient of this grant due to her deep commitment to EARTH's mission over many years.
- [EARTH University - $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/earth-university-15000/) - EARTH Scholarship Fund This grant contributes to the EARTH Scholarship Fund (ESF), a pooled fund at EARTH University that provides scholarships to promising young people primarily from Latin America who have the drive, skills, and passion that mark a future agent of change. The ESF helps ensure that exceptional young people are able to access
- [EARTH University - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/earth-university-25000/) - COVID Relief This grant will support COVID testing for third- and fourth-year students at EARTH University that are preparing for internships in locations around the world.
- [Michigan State University Extension - $109,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-extension-3/) - Educational Programming and Facility Operations and Improvements To provide salary support for a full-time Summer Camp Coordinator that will lead eight weeks of summer camp, school field trips, assist with major educational events, improve program evaluation, and build connections with other MSU Departments; to provide salary support for a full-time assistant to support the Farm
- [Michigan State University Extension - $113,579](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-extension-1/) - Salary Support for Essential Staff and Resources for Programming during COVID-19 Restrictions To provide salary support for essential staff needed to develop and deliver quality programming at the farm, including programs that are adapted to the circumstances created by COVID-19, and to undertake site activities and maintenance.
- [Michigan State University Extension - $116,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-extension/) - Educational Programming and Facility Operations To provide salary support for essential staff needed for adaptable programming, including creative camp activities and virtual educational programs for various audiences, and to ensure that agricultural programming continues in a well-maintained farm setting.
- [Michigan State University - $130,360](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-5/) - 2022 MSU Tollgate Farm Operations & Programs Grant Michigan State University Extension will use this grant to support two core program staff members at Tollgate Farm and Education Center: the Day Camp Coordinator and an Education Manager. These staff members develop and oversee 4-H camps, day camps, culturally responsive place-based education, farm-to-school field trips, stewardship
- [Michigan State University - $5,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-4/) - 2022 MSU Tollgate Farm Thomas Ranger Grant MSU will use this grant from the Thomas Ranger Memorial Fund to provide transportation for students from high needs schools in the metro Detroit area so that they can attend programs at the farm.
- [Michigan State University - $130,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-2/) - 2023 MSU Tollgate Farm Operations & Programs MSE Extension will use this grant to support core program staff at Tollgate Farm and Education Center: the Public Programs Coordinator and the Education Manager. These staff members develop and oversee field trips, day camps, culturally responsive place-based education, farm-to-school education, stewardship training, a sustainability leadership institute, and
- [Michigan State University - $5,000](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university/) - 2023 MSU Tollgate Farm Thomas Ranger Grant MSU will use this grant from the Thomas Ranger Memorial Fund to provide financial aid for students from high needs schools in the metro Detroit area so that they can attend programs at the farm.
- [MSU Tollgate Farm & Education Center - $10,000](https://americanafoundation.org/msu-tollgate-farm-education-center/) - Improving Access for Persons with Limited Mobility MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center provides hands-on experiences for youth and adults in a production agriculture setting. We connect people to the source of their food and the natural world. Unfortunately, individuals with limited mobility, because of a wheelchair, or walker, have difficulty participating. Often, schools do
- [Michigan State University - $6,640](https://americanafoundation.org/michigan-state-university-3/) - Renovating the Rose Garden at MSU Tollgate Farm The rose garden at MSU Tollgate Farm was developed by volunteers and was cared for by volunteers and Tollgate staff for almost 30 years. The garden in its glory, provided a beautiful and educational opportunity for visitors. This once grand display of over 200 rose varieties has
- [Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc. - $50,000](https://americanafoundation.org/thomas-jefferson-foundation-inc/) - Monticello Curatorial Internship With this grant, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation will create a full-time, one-year, curatorial intern position to update catalog records for the foundation's 800 most significant objects and make them accessible for study by the public through an online database. The updates will address content bias shown towards white or dominant class artisans
- [Historical Society of Michigan - $15,000](https://americanafoundation.org/historical-society-of-michigan/) - Boosting Participation of Students in the Metro Detroit Region in the Year-Long Michigan History Day Competition This grant will contribute to a collaborative effort to increase Detroit region student participation in the year-long Michigan History Day academic competition program for grades 4-12. More than 5,000 students participate in the program across the state, but Detroit
- [Edsel and Eleanor Ford House - $6,000](https://americanafoundation.org/edsel-and-eleanor-ford-house-1/) - Strengthening Small Museums Ford House, with conservator Mark Gervasi, will use this grant to strengthen and expand the capacities for small museums to properly care for their historical objects. Staff from Ford House will consult with staff/volunteers from the museums to help them better understand collections care and management, and to assist with interpretation of
- [Henry Ford Estate - $17,500](https://americanafoundation.org/henry-ford-estate/) - Funding for a Collections Specialist The Henry Ford Estate is preparing to begin the next phase of the restoration of Fair Lane, home of Clara & Henry Ford. The next phase involves the kitchen and four bedrooms used by the Ford family and staff, and the Edison Suite. This grant will help fund a full-time
- [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation - $47,184](https://americanafoundation.org/colonial-williamsburg-foundation-2/) - "From African American Hands" This grant will support the very first art exhibition at Colonial Williamsburg dedicated exclusively to celebrating African American artistry. All types of decorative art and folk-art objects will be included in the exhibit, including furniture, textiles, quilts and coverlets, metals, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, drawings, tools and equipment, and costume accessories, all
- [Edsel and Eleanor Ford House - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/edsel-and-eleanor-ford-house/) - Ford House Conservation Fellowship Program Ford House will use this grant to support the development of a new conservation/curator fellowship at the Ford House designed to employ individuals from war-torn nations (e.g., Afghanistan and Ukraine). The fellowship will broaden the experience of scholars from other lands and will facilitate the preservation and conservation of the
- [Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - $50,000](https://americanafoundation.org/museum-of-fine-arts-boston/) - Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina This grant will support an exhibition entitled "Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina", which is opening at MFA in 2023 and is being developed by the MFA in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The
- [Thomas Jefferson Foundation - $50,000](https://americanafoundation.org/thomas-jefferson-foundation/) - The Contemplative Site This grant will contribute to the construction of a special area at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello where guests can reflect on the issues of freedom and slavery that they encounter during their visit. The site will include an artistic installation that contains a permanent list of names of 609 individuals known to have
- [Historic New England - $50,000](https://americanafoundation.org/historic-new-england/) - Recovering New England's Voices Historic New England, an historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, MA, will use this grant to support a second-year Research Scholar for Recovering New England's Voices, a multi-year initiative to challenge traditional narratives and promote healing, community, collaboration, and inspiration at our historic sites. The scholar will build upon research into the experiences
- [Worcester Art Museum - $30,000](https://americanafoundation.org/worcester-art-museum/) - The Price of Luxury in American Art (1675-1870) This grant will support the reinstallation of the permanent collection of American art at the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA. The reinstallation will connect important portraiture and other fine art with the museum's significant collection of early American decorative arts by examining the human and environmental
- [University of Michigan - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/university-of-michigan/) - "Hear Me Now:" The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina - Programming at the UM Museum of Art This grant will support educational programming associated with the "Hear Me Now" exhibition at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). The programming will be designed in collaboration with exhibition co-curator and UM Professor of
- [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation - $20,000](https://americanafoundation.org/colonial-williamsburg-foundation/) - "I Made This...." Black Artists and Artisans Conference Colonial Williamsburg will use this grant to support a conference related to the "I Made This…" exhibition that celebrates Black artistry in the fields of folk, fine and decorative arts. The conference will feature three days of activities, including keynote presentations by historians, lectures by CW's curatorial
- [Historic Locust Grove - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/historic-locust-grove/) - Reducing Barriers to Historic Resources Historic Locust Grove, an 18th-century farm site and National Historic Landmark near Louisville, Kentucky, will use this grant to install outdoor interpretive signage, accessible to visitors throughout the 55-acre site, to illuminate the stories of the historic people who lived and worked on the property. The signage will present the site's
- [Historic Deerfield - $25,000](https://americanafoundation.org/historic-deerfield/) - Unnamed Figures: Black Presence and Absence in the early American North Unnamed Figures is an exhibition and publication developed by the American Folk Art Museum in New York that explores the often-unacknowledged presence of Black makers and subjects in the visual and material culture of the 18th and early 19th centuries in the North American
- [Fostering a Regional Food System in Northeast Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/news-march-2-2023/) - A recent Americana grant will help to expand and stabilize the food system in Northeast Michigan - in the words of the grant recipient, to create "a region where local food and farming are an avenue for wealth creation and economic development, where healthy-fresh food is available to all residents in convenient, affordable, and accessible
- [The Place to Bee: Detroit Hives and the GO GREEN Botanical Garden](https://americanafoundation.org/news-april-6-2023/) - Detroit has long been home to a vibrant urban farming community, and many Detroiters and neighborhood associations have created green spaces to make their neighborhoods more attractive, healthier, and more sustainable. Still, many of the vacant lots in Detroit remain overgrown and neglected. According to Detroit Future City, Detroit has 24 square miles of vacant
- [Building a Place in the Soo for Children to Create, Learn, and Play](https://americanafoundation.org/news-june-6-2023/) - Since 2016, the Soo Locks Children's Museum, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, has been working with community partners to create a museum to serve nearly 4,000 children in a rural three-county region in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. The area features tremendous natural resources but has a nearly 30% child poverty rate and few organized and affordable
- [MIFARMLINK: Cultivating Connections](https://americanafoundation.org/news-april-11-2023/) - A new web-based program is moving across the state to preserve Michigan farms and farming communities by shepherding land to the next generation of stewards. When you think of Michigan's largest economic drivers, what comes to mind? Automotive has topped the list for decades, but agriculture is an important second. Michigan's diverse food and ag

## Pages

- [Home](https://americanafoundation.org/) - The Americana Foundation supports the development of agriculture/community food systems, protection of natural resources, inclusive narrative of early American art and history.
- [Contact](https://americanafoundation.org/contact/) - Contact Us Thank you for your interest in Americana and our mission to make a positive impact on our communities. Your ideas and dedication are crucial to creating a brighter future, and we look forward to hearing from you. info@americanafoundation.org 248-347-3863 Interested in discussing a potential project or partnership? Schedule a 30-minute Zoom meeting with
- [Grant Guidelines](https://americanafoundation.org/overview-grants/guidelines/) - Grant Guidelines The Grant Process The Americana Foundation supports partner organizations primarily through financial grants. Grants typically range between $10,000 and $25,000 and usually are awarded for a one-year period. We will consider grants larger than $25,000 and/or grants awarded for more than one year when necessary to the success of a project or program,
- [Overview - Grants](https://americanafoundation.org/overview-grants/) - Grants Grant GuidelinesExplore the framework and expectations guiding our grants, empowering you to submit impactful and aligned proposals. Learn More Grants AwardedFrom community-driven efforts to systemic change, discover how our commitment shapes positive impacts that resonate nationwide. Learn More We support projects and organizations that positively impact people's lives by creating systemic and/or structural change.
- [Agriculture and Food Systems](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/agriculture-and-food-systems/) - Agriculture and Food Systems Adolph and Ginger Meyer believed that farmers were the backbone of America and that farming and the production of food "always will be a required function if any of us are to survive." The Meyers had a lifelong interest in honoring America's agrarian traditions and were committed to ensuring that people
- [Natural Resources](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/natural-resources/) - Natural Resources Adolph and Ginger Meyer appreciated the abundance and quality of Michigan's natural resources. Michigan is at the heart of the Great Lakes region and enjoys wide open spaces and many protected natural areas, the nation's longest freshwater coastline, hundreds of public beaches, some of the highest freshwater sand dunes in the world, and
- [Board of Trustees and Staff](https://americanafoundation.org/who-we-are-overview/board/) - Board of Trustees and Staff Officers Rick Foster, PhDChair Kate HarperVice Chair Matthew J. WawroTreasurer Trustees Denene De Quintal, PhD Detroit, MI Dr. Denene De Quintal is Assistant Curator for Native American art at Detroit Institute of Arts. Denene's focus at the DIA is on reengaging the Native American, Indigenous, and Detroit communities with the
- [Accessibility statement](https://americanafoundation.org/accessibility-statement-2/) - Accessibility Statement for https://americanafoundation.org/ The Americana Foundation is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards. Conformance status The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines
- [Accessibility statement](https://americanafoundation.org/accessibility-statement/) - Accessibility Statement for https://americanafoundation.org/ The Americana Foundation is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards. Conformance status The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines
- [Overview - Who We Are](https://americanafoundation.org/who-we-are-overview/) - Who We Are Mission and ValuesWe support projects and organizations that positively impact people's lives by creating systematic and/or structural change. Learn More Board and StaffWe have the people, relationships, and credibility to achieve impact in our program areas. Learn More History and LegacyWe are an independent foundation informed by the vision of our Founders,
- [EARTH UNIVERSITY](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/earth-university/) - EARTH UNIVERSITY EARTH University is a private, non-profit university in Costa Rica that prepares young people from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other regions to contribute to sustainable development in their home communities. Students are recruited based on their academic and leadership potential, vocation, values, and social and environmental commitment. EARTH graduates return to
- [Overview - Program Areas](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/) - Program Areas Agriculture and Food SystemsAmericana envisions rural and urban landscapes in Michigan where the community is connected to the food system; where agricultural producers are prosperous and focused on sustainability; and where agriculture supports public health, diverse business opportunities, and livable communities for all. Learn More American HeritageAmericana supports organizations that preserve, interpret, and
- [Tollgate Farm](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/tollgate-farm/) - TOLLGATE FARM The offices of the Americana Foundation are located on Tollgate Farm, a 160-acre historic farmstead in Novi, Michigan, originally owned by the Foundation's founders, Adolph H. and Ginger Meyer. The Meyers first saw the farm during a visit to Novi in 1951 and were impressed by the natural beauty of the area and
- [Mission and Values](https://americanafoundation.org/who-we-are-overview/mission-and-values/) - Mission and Values Our Mission The Americana Foundation supports the sustainable development of agriculture and community food systems, the protection of natural resources, and an inclusive narrative of early American art and history. Our Values ImpactfulWe invest to positively impact people's lives, especially where scarce other funding options are available. RespectfulWe support the work of
- [History](https://americanafoundation.org/who-we-are-overview/history/) - History and Legacy The Founders' Legacy and Impact The Americana Foundation was established by Adolph and Ginger Meyer to support, through philanthropy, their varied personal interests. A Detroit area industrialist, Adolph Meyer believed in the American ideals of hard work and self-reliance and held a deep respect for early American farmers, craftsmen, and artists. Ginger
- [Featured News](https://americanafoundation.org/featured-news/) - The Americana Foundation's featured news – discover impactful stories & projects promoting community engagement, environmental stewardship, and social progress.
- [Grants Awarded](https://americanafoundation.org/overview-grants/grants-awarded/) - Grants Awarded CONTACT US If you have reviewed our mission, program areas, priorities, and guidelines and still have questions, feel free to contact us or schedule a 30-minute intro meeting with the Executive Director. We will be happy to address any inquiries you may have. Contact Us Schedule a Meeting
- [American Heritage](https://americanafoundation.org/program-areas-overview/american-heritage/) - American Heritage Adolph and Ginger Meyer were significant collectors of Americana, especially the fine, handcrafted furniture and decorative items developed by early Americans. The Meyers appreciated these items because, to them, Americana expressed a sense of artistic freedom and was constructed or created with integrity and individuality. Over the years, the Americana Foundation has supported
- [Financials and Governance](https://americanafoundation.org/who-we-are-overview/financials-and-governance/) - Financials and Governance Americana is committed to being open and transparent. Audited financial statements are available upon request. Tax returns (IRS Form 990-PF (Return of Private Foundation)) are available for viewing or download on the Candid website. Typically, Americana's audited financial statements are available in May and the tax return is available in mid-November. Go

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://americanafoundation.org/category/uncategorized/)
- [Featured News](https://americanafoundation.org/category/featured-news/)
- [Agriculture and Food Systems](https://americanafoundation.org/category/agriculture-and-food-systems/)
- [American Heritage](https://americanafoundation.org/category/american-heritage/)
- [Tollgate Farm](https://americanafoundation.org/category/tollgate-farm/)
- [EARTH University](https://americanafoundation.org/category/earth-university/)
- [Natural Resources](https://americanafoundation.org/category/natural-resources/)

## Tags

- [Detroit](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/detroit/)
- [Upper Peninsula](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/upper-peninsula/)
- [Michigan (other)](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/michigan-other/)
- [Outside Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/outside-michigan/)
- [Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/michigan/)
- [Novi MI](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/novi-mi/)
- [Costa Rica](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/costa-rica/)
- [West Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/west-michigan/)
- [Mid-Michigan](https://americanafoundation.org/tag/mid-michigan/)