Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation offers big money for big ideas

Got big ideas on improving our community? The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is offering big bucks for that idea… if it’s good enough.These $200,000 “big idea” grants come from $1 million provided by Pfizer. The grants are very wide ranging in scope. The only requirement is that it be an innovative solution, take on a big problem and have a reasonable chance of success.”These are ideas, concepts or programs that we know would be good for the community but might not have a traditional funding mechanism,” says Phil D’Anieri, program director for the Ann Arbor Community Foundation. “We frankly don’t want to limit the ideas that are out there.”The money came after Pfizer announced it was closing its Ann Arbor campus in early 2007. The foundation has already pledged some of the money toward making Ypsilanti more vibrant through economic innovation, improving the local arts and culture scene and in early childhood development. Ideas can be submitted here. They are due by Feb. 4.Source: Phil D’Anieri, program director for the Ann Arbor Community FoundationWriter: Jon Zemke