Upper Peninsula Fund Awards Two Wildlife Grants
Delta County Parks and Whitefish Point's owl banding program each received a grant from the Upper Peninsula Sustainable Forest and Wildlife Fund.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Bird Watching
The Upper Peninsula Sustainable Forest and Wildlife Fund announced recipients of its October 2026 grants, awarding one to Delta County Parks and Recreation's Purple Martin Conservation and Education Project and one to Friends of Whitefish Point's Owl Banding Program. Charlie Becker announced the recipients in a Thursday press release from Marquette.
Why it matters
The awards support wildlife conservation and education projects in the Upper Peninsula, a region where the fund is housed under the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula. The fund's grant cycle gives local bird and wildlife programs a defined path to financial support.
The October 2026 round awarded two grants, one to a purple martin conservation project and one to an owl banding program. The announcement did not disclose individual award amounts.
The players
Upper Peninsula Sustainable Forest and Wildlife Fund
A grant-making fund housed under the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula that supports forest and wildlife projects across the region.
Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula
A regional philanthropic organization that provides financial support for projects aimed at solving community problems or enhancing life throughout the Upper Peninsula.
The details
Grant recipients were announced in a press release. Individuals and organizations or service clubs do not qualify for funds, and all applications for the April 2027 round must be received by 3:30 p.m. on April 1 to be considered.
Timeline
October 2026: Grants awarded in the fund's October round.
February 26, 2027: The April 2027 grant round opens.
April 1, 2027, 3:30 p.m.: Deadline for grant applications.
Seasonal Patterns
The grant funds an existing owl banding effort at Whitefish Point, a site run by the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory that tracks migrating birds along the Great Lakes flyway each spring and fall. Funding this kind of work ties local grant money to long-running regional migration monitoring.
Local bird and wildlife groups in the Upper Peninsula can apply for the April 2027 round if they are organizations, not individuals or service clubs. Applications must reach the fund by 3:30 p.m. on April 1 to be considered.
The takeaway
Organizations working on bird and wildlife projects in the Upper Peninsula have a dated window to apply for the next round. Mark the April 1, 2027, 3:30 p.m. deadline early to avoid missing it.
What happens next
The April 2027 grant round opens February 26, 2027, with applications due by 3:30 p.m. on April 1, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more about Bird Watching and the wildlife programs funded across Michigan.
More information
Find grant information on the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Mining Journal.
