The Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation (MCCEC) has announced that Michigan City Community Enrichment Grant applications will be available next week.
The MCCEC stated the following:
“Grant Applications for the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation’s 2023-2024 grant cycle will be available Monday, September 19th at 9:00 am. The deadline for submitting the grants is Wednesday, November 30th at 11:59 pm CST. Paper applications are no longer accepted. Online Grant Applications are available at www.mccec.com.
“In March of this year, the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation awarded 43 grants totaling $633,526.00 to Michigan City Area charitable organizations. Of those 43 grants, 21 of them were for $10,000 or less. The Grant Applications totaled $994,418.00. These grants are very competitive. Since the Board’s inception in 1997, the Enrichment Corporation has awarded $18,000,000 in assistance to charitable organizations that directly benefit people in the Michigan City area. The Washington Park Zoo has received over $2,000,000 from the MCCEC since 1997. All applications must include evidence that the organization is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and that the services are performed within the boundaries of the Michigan City Area School District. We require budgets for the past year (2021) and the current year thru the fall of 2022. Submitting timely and complete Quarterly Reports are required. Failure to do so may result in disqualifying future Grant requests.
“The Enrichment Corporation is a public benefit corporation created on June 10, 1997 by agreement between the Blue Chip Casino and the City of Michigan City. The Enrichment Corporation is independent of Michigan City government and receives no funds out of Michigan City’s budget. According to the agreement, the Enrichment Corporation receives $750,000 per year from the Blue Chip Casino, of which $100,000 is paid annually to the Washington Park Zoo, and at least $100,000 is given annually to programs that benefit the children of Michigan City.
“The Enrichment Corporation Board of Directors has nine members who serve three-year terms with no compensation. Ron Miller serves as the Board’s current President. The Enrichment Corporation bylaws state, “The utmost of impartiality, integrity and neutrality shall be required in distributing the corporation’s funds.” In addition to selecting grant recipients, the Enrichment Corporation Board is responsible for filing reports with the Indiana Gaming Commission and the Internal Revenue Service, ensuring grant awards are spent properly and countless other year-round duties.
“The Board encourages any charitable 501(c)(3) organization that serves the Michigan City Area School District to apply for a grant. Completed applications must be submitted online at www.mccec.com by Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., Central Standard Time. This will be the only grant cycle for 2023-2024. Grant money for this cycle will be distributed in late March of 2023.
“The Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation will again present a Grant Writing Workshop. The date for the workshop, which will be geared to our grant application will be announced soon.
“The Board looks forward to reviewing the many programs that will assist and aid the Citizens of the Michigan City Area School District. If you have any questions about the application process, please call the voicemail at (219) 873-1402 or email mccec@emichigancity.com and a representative from the Enrichment Corporation Board will be in contact with you.”