To be deemed eligible an organization must:

1. 1. Be a 501 (c)(3) organization with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000.
   2. Small organizations that use the 501(c)(3) fiduciary status of a larger Wayne County-based agency may be considered eligible entities if approved by Wayne Metro.
   3. Be based in Wayne County and serve low income Wayne County residents.
   4. Service low-income residents in one of the four areas: (1) Job Readiness and Supports; (2) Health and Nutrition; (3) Neighborhood Improvements; and (4) Youth and Adult Education.
   5. Have met Seeding Wayne County programmatic requirements if awarded in previous years.

For more detailed information and to submit a successful application please read the official program guidelines.

The awarded funding is used by grassroots community organizations to support programs and services in the areas of:

• • Youth and Adult Education
  • Health and Nutrition
  • Job Readiness and Support
  • Neighborhood Improvements

Assure that your project targets one of these impact areas.

The targeted population must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit.

a. Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Poverty Guidelines. Note: Poverty Guidelines are updated for FY2026 at the time of contract award. Income fluctuations expected for FY2026 Poverty Guidelines. Awarded grantees must provide proof of this with the acceptable documentation pending the service location.

b. The organization and Wayne Metro must agree on the means to document client income eligibility for services. The documented method is incorporated into a grant agreement between Wayne Metro and the organization.

1. 1. Describe your Program: As you are completing your application it is important to keep in mind that Active RAC members will score your application based on the following questions:
   2. Project Goals: How well does the project clearly fill a need or address a problem? Is the project related to the selected program area?
   3. Project Design: How well does the proposal clearly describe the proposed program or project?
   4. Budget: Is the proposed budget reasonable and cost efficient for the project proposed?
   5. Determine your outcomes and activities:
      • Think about your impact area.
      • Identify three activities that directly contribute to the outcomes of your project.

1. 1. Available Funding

a. New Grantees may apply for amounts ranging from $1,000.00- $7,500.00

b. Legacy Grantees may request a maximum of $8,500.00

2. Research what you need to buy and how much it will cost.

3. The Seeding Grant is funded by the Community Service Block Grant and its governing guidelines. Please assure your budget does not contain any of the following disallowable line items found HERE

4. Your budget should be reasonable in cost efficiency and match the proposed project description.

5. This is a reimbursable grant: organizations will receive 50% of their award as an advance upon signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the remaining 50% will be disbursed after the program ends, once all receipts, proof of payment, and the final outcomes report have been submitted and approved by Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. For more details please reference the grant guidelines.

In Person Technical Assistance at Wayne Metro Headquarters: 3710 Woodward Ave Suite 800, Detroit, MI 48202.

If you have attended the Information Sessions and Open Office Hours and still have questions, please reach out to seedinggrant@waynemetro.org before Friday, January 2nd, 2026. Any questions submitted after this date will not be considered.

1. 1. If you have applied for a Seeding Grant in the past via the CASPIO system be sure to utilize the same email and password for your organization’s account.
   2.  Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 5th, 2026. Late submittals will not be accepted.
   3. You may submit the application online. All other methods of submission will only be considered on a case by case and deemed appropriate by Wayne Metropolitan. For technical assistance with submission please reach out to us directly and seedinggrant@waynemetro.org.
   4. Incomplete applications will not be considered. To ensure your application is complete, it is strongly recommended that applicants utilize the support opportunities provided by Wayne Metro’s Participatory Grantmaking Team detailed below.

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION USING THE ONLINE FORM LINKED ABOVE SO THAT WE RECEIVE YOUR APPLICATION ON TIME. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The Seeding Wayne County Grant has closed for FY26. Applications will reopen in the upcoming fiscal year.
We appreciate your interest and look forward to receiving your application when the program reopens.