Important information for Applicants:
Impact100 Little Traverse Bay will award THREE grants for $114,000 EACH in the 2026 grant cycle! Nonprofits serving Emmet & Charlevoix counties are encouraged to apply. Two or more nonprofits may collaborate on a single proposal.
1. You will need to create a free Submittable account in order to apply. Signup free here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup/
2. To apply for a grant with Impact100 Little Traverse Bay on the Submittable Platform, please CLICK HERE. The application will be available from January 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST – January 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST)
3. You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date. NOTE: The application does NOT auto-save. To avoid your hard work being lost, please save frequently.
4. We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure the email address you used to sign up for your Submittable Account is one that you check regularly.
5. Please reach out to Submittable’s Customer Support team with any technical questions at support@submittable.com
6. For questions about the Impact100 Little Traverse Bay grants, contact grants@impact100littletraversebay.org
7. For the 2026 grant cycle, questions can be submitted in writing to grants@impact100littletraversebay.org from January 1, 2026 – January 15, 2026. All questions will be answered by January 20, 2026 and posted on our website in the Grant FAQs Grant FAQs | Impact100 Little Traverse Bay
8. Please submit your Initiative Budget with your application via Submittable. This form can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here: Impact100 Little Traverse Bay Budget Initiative 2026
9. Please submit your Financial Summary Form with your application via Submittable. This form can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here: Financial Summary Form 2026
ATTENTION: To view the Nonprofit Workshop Training Packet, click the link: IMPACT100 LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY NON-PROFIT PACKET 2026
from
Gail Gruenwald
& Pat Fralick
• Develop a common grant application library.
• Although it is often the nature of the beast, try not to wait until the last minute to prepare your application.
• Prepare the application as a Word document to utilize the character count function. Then copy and paste it into the Submittable application.
• Write the Executive Summary last.
• Frame your language as what your beneficiaries need, not what your organization needs.
• Work with your program staff to be sure your information is up-to-date and relevant. They can also provide you with anecdotes and client testimonies that you might not otherwise have.
• Don’t assume the reader is familiar with your community or organization; or that the need you are trying to address is well known.
• Don’t use industry jargon, don’t assume the reader knows what you’re talking about. Spell out acronyms upon first use, no matter how common.
• Whenever possible, use data to support your points. Use personal stories as examples of your points. Don’t get too “salesy” – reviewers see right through it.
• Train yourself to clearly and thoroughly answer the questions presented. Your best resource is a grantmaker’s own guidelines. A literal reading and interpretation of grant guidelines is one of the most practical measures you can take. Go so far as to repeat the question in the answer.
• Strive to appreciate the time of the person or persons reading the request. Concise, to-the-point requests without a lot of “flowery” prose about the topic show professionalism and respect for the grant maker’s time.
• Convince the reader you are THE expert in solving the problem you are trying to address. And that your organization is uniquely positioned to do so.
• Budgets communicate the priorities of the organization. Make sure your budgets and your proposal narrative tell the same story. Don’t assume that budget expenses are self-explanatory.
• Don’t send a lot of “fluff” attachments. Grantmakers will specify what to send. Don’t send more than requested. In the case of Impact 100 LTB, provide annual reports, media clips, newsletters, etc. during the site visit. Have someone not familiar with the project review the grant before submittal.
• Please contact us and utilize the Submittable platform for support throughout the process. We want to see you succeed!