Consumers Energy Foundation Seeks Applicants for People Awards, Supporting Job Readiness With $500,000

Nonprofits Could Receive Up To $250,000 Each; Letters of Intent Due Nov. 1
Oct 18, 2019 4:00 PM ET

JACKSON, Mich., October 18, 2019, /3BL Media/ – The Consumers Energy Foundation is highlighting its commitment to Michigan’s residents by providing $500,000 to nonprofit organizations supporting job readiness through its first People Awards.

“Consumers Energy is dedicated to ensuring all Michigan residents are thriving economically with access to world-class education,” said Carolyn Bloodworth, secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “This includes helping our customers, friends and neighbors acquire the skills and training necessary to pursue a career and gain access to employment in Michigan. We are proud to help this come to life through our People Awards and look forward to helping Michigan continue to be a great place to live and work.”

The Consumers Energy Foundation invites nonprofits to submit a letter of intent for projects that positively impact job readiness efforts in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Job readiness includes programs offering employment assistance, job placement, or employability training to help Michigan’s people acquire the skills needed to find a job and pursue a career. Nonprofit organizations should submit letters of intent by Nov. 1, 2019.  Full award eligibility requirements are available in the Consumers Energy Foundation’s online request.

The letter of intent is the first step in a two-step application process, which will facilitate the allocation of up to $250,000 in funding per awardee – or $500,000 in total. The Consumers Energy Foundation will evaluate all submittals and select the top applicants to be invited to submit a full application by Nov. 25.

In April, the Foundation contributed $500,000 to three Michigan organizations to support environmental projects as part of its first Planet Awards. Additional recipients of the first $500,000 Prosperity Awards will be announced later this month.

The Consumers Energy Foundation is Consumers Energy’s charitable arm. The Consumers Energy Foundation enables communities to thrive and grow by investing in what’s most important to Michigan – its people, our planet and Michigan’s prosperity.

In 2018, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy and its employees and retirees contributed more than $18.5 million to Michigan nonprofits. The Consumers Energy Foundation uses shareholder funds, along with contributions from employees and retirees, to support nonprofit organizations across Michigan. For more information, visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/foundation.

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Media Contact: Brian Wheeler, 517-788-2394 or 517-740-1545