The Thinking Behind the Giving

For Boyne Forever Foundation, grantmaking isn't about writing checks. It's about asking the right questions — and making sure the right people are in the room when the answers arrive.

Michelle Wein has a straightforward way of describing what a grant really is. "At its core, a grant is simply an investment," says the Boyne Forever Foundation's Executive Director. "It's funding provided to help make something meaningful happen — whether that's protecting a watershed, supporting mental health services, expanding access to outdoor recreation, or helping a team member through a difficult time."

That clarity of purpose shapes everything about how BFF approaches its annual grant cycle. Since its founding, the foundation has been deliberate about building a grantmaking structure that is less about institutional process and more about the people it exists to serve — the communities, team members, and landscapes that make Boyne's mountain resorts what they are.

With the 2026 grant cycle now open, we sat down with Michelle to talk through the philosophy behind BFF's approach, how decisions actually get made, and what she wants every potential applicant to know before they hit submit.

A grant, at its simplest — how would you explain it to someone who's never applied for or received one? At its core, a grant is simply an investment. It's funding provided to a nonprofit organization, initiative, or sometimes an individual in need, to help make something meaningful happen. Grants aren't loans — there's no expectation of repayment. The expectation is impact.

Why does BFF believe grants are one of the most powerful tools a community foundation can use? A few reasons. First, grants allow us to be thoughtful and intentional. Rather than reacting in the moment, they create a structured way to listen to communities, evaluate needs, and invest in solutions that have a lasting impact.

They also allow us to scale impact. A single grant can help launch a new program, expand an existing service, or provide stability to an organization doing critical work that might otherwise go underfunded.

And for us, grants are also about equity. Every Boyne community is different. Through grantmaking, we can ensure support reaches each region in ways that reflect their unique needs — not a one-size-fits-all formula applied from the outside.

What makes BFF's approach different from how people might imagine a "typical" foundation operates? Many people imagine foundations as distant or top-down decisions made in a boardroom far removed from the communities they serve. That's not how we operate.

At BFF, we intentionally built a structure that puts decision-making closer to the ground. Our Giving Council includes team members from each resort property across the Boyne network. These are people who live and work in the same communities as the applicants they're evaluating. They bring real local knowledge to every funding recommendation — and that changes the quality of the decisions we make.

What does it mean in practice to have local team members at the decision-making table? It means the people closest to the challenges are helping shape the solutions. They know which organizations are doing genuine work. They understand the seasonal rhythms of these communities, the pressures that don't make headlines, the gaps that don't show up in a grant application but matter enormously to how a project will actually land.

It builds trust — with applicants, with the broader community, and within the foundation itself.

Walk us through the grant cycle. What should applicants know about timing? Our annual grant cycle covers Environment, Community, and Scholarship grants. Applications open June 1 and grant announcements are made July 30.

For needs that can't wait — hardship requests for team members and in-kind donation requests — we review on a rolling basis throughout the year. Not every need fits neatly into a calendar, and we didn't want our structure to get in the way of responding to urgent situations.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the first time? Don't be intimidated. The process exists to help you, not filter you out. Start by telling your story — who you are, what you're trying to do, and why it matters to your community. Authenticity matters more than perfection. If the need is real and the work is meaningful, we want to hear about it.

And if you know someone whose work deserves support, tell them to apply. Some of the best projects start with someone simply saying: you should put this in front of BFF.

What does success look like to you, a year or two from now? Success is measured in outcomes — stronger communities, protected landscapes, supported people. But it's also measured in relationships. We're early in this journey, and the potential ahead is significant. The more deeply we're connected to the communities we serve, the more meaningful our impact becomes. That's what we're building toward.

The Boyne Forever Foundation's 2026 external grant cycle opens on June 1. Applications are accepted through June 30, with announcements made July 30. Hardship and in-kind requests are reviewed year-round on a rolling basis.

Apply at boyneforever.org/apply