Ethel and James Flinn Foundation Awards 2026 Grants
The Detroit-based Ethel and James Flinn Foundation has announced its 2026 grants. This year, the Board of Trustees awarded 65 grants totaling $3.1 million to mental health organizations across southeast Michigan.
The grants support work in Evidence-Based Practices, Capacity Building Opportunities, Advocacy Support, Awareness, Education and Outreach Mini-Grants and Collaborative Partnerships.
“Strong mental health systems are built in communities, through organizations that understand the people they serve and the challenges they face. At a time when many of these organizations are being asked to do more with fewer resources, we believe it is especially important to invest in their ability to provide care, build connections and strengthen communities,” says Andrea Cole, President and CEO of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.
Grantees are listed below.
Evidence-Based Practices — Children
Alternatives For Girls (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To support trauma-informed behavioral health for Detroit youth and their young children experiencing homelessness.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To expand access to comprehensive behavioral health services to underserved families and youth.
FORCE Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To support integrated behavioral health services for violence-impacted youth to heal, build resilience, and prevent future violence.
Henry Ford Health System (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To create a family-centered behavioral health access model embedded in pediatric primary care.
Judson Center (Farmington Hills, MI) — $75,000
To pilot Infant Mental Health Program in Oakland County.
More Than Medicine (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To provide rapid, evidence-based behavioral health access for children through coordinated community partnerships.
Ruth Ellis Center (Highland Park, MI) — $75,000
To provide peer support services for BIPOC LGBTQ+ young people.
Spectrum Juvenile Justice Services (Highland Park, MI) — $50,000
To screen and treat co-occurring trauma, depression and substance use among justice-involved adolescent males.
Turning Point, Inc. (Mount Clemens, MI) — $62,500
To provide trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health services for children impacted by violence.
Evidence-Based Practices — Adults
Freedom House Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $100,000
To provide culturally responsive mental health treatment for refugees, asylees, and survivors of torture.
Guest House, Inc. (Lake Orion, MI) — $100,000
To improve long-term recovery outcomes through integrated treatment, monitoring, and continuing care.
Henry Ford Health System (Detroit, MI) — $100,000
To develop clear and equitable paths into the mental health system for all.
Jewish Family Service (West Bloomfield, MI) — $62,500
To develop a DBT model for behavioral health clients.
Oakland Community Health Network (Troy, MI) — $100,000
To establish a behavioral health urgent care center to expand continuum of care in Oakland County.
Samaritas (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To provide evidence-based SUD/BH and Women’s Specialty treatments for 350 mothers and adults.
Trinity Health Ann Arbor (Livonia, MI) — $100,000
To strengthen suicide prevention for adults using ENGAGE and TREAT pillars of the Zero Suicide framework.
Zaman International (Inkster, MI) — $100,000
To provide culturally responsive, evidence-based behavioral health services for uninsured, underinsured, immigrant, and refugee women.
Capacity Building Opportunities
Avalon Healing Center (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To expand behavioral health service capacity for survivors of sexual assault/trafficking.
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (Dearborn, MI) — $75,000
To support evaluation, and impact measurement infrastructure for ACCESS Recovery Center.
CARE of Southeastern Michigan (Roseville, MI) — $75,000
To expand outpatient treatment payors and services to the Student Assistance Center.
Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (Southfield, MI) — $50,000
To expand access to Spanish-language mental health counseling for Latino individuals and families.
Children’s Center of Wayne County, Inc. (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To enhance evidence-based behavioral health services for children and caregivers using PCIT and Play Therapy.
Detroit Association of Black Organizations, Inc. (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To implement Wellness Recovery Action Plan groups to provide mental wellness support to returning citizens.
Detroit Justice Center (Detroit, MI) — $25,000
To educate residents around a non-carceral policy agenda.
Detroit Life Is Valuable Everyday (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To expand Healthy Minds program to meet mental health demand among violence-impacted Detroiters.
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
To implement best practices, training, and programs to reduce suicide along riverfront spaces.
Friends of the Children-Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $75,000
For training mentors to deliver behavioral health supports to Wayne County youth.
Garrett’s Space (Ann Arbor, MI) — $50,000
To expand holistic mental wellness, peer support, and connection for young adults.
Henry Ford Health System (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To develop a strategic plan for the HFH Suicide Prevention Center.
Mariner’s Inn (Detroit, MI) — $50,000
To expand mental health supports workforce, psychiatric and data improvements.
Organization of Exonorees (Center Line, MI) — $50,000
To expand access to trauma-informed Mental Health & Wellness Program into Oakland County.
Regents of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) — $50,000
To support Southeast Michigan community colleges in identifying and referring students experiencing first episode psychosis.
Rose Hill Foundation (Birmingham, MI) — $75,000
To implement evidence based Zero Suicide practices across Rose Hill’s continuum of behavioral health care.
Advocacy Support
Association for Children’s Mental Health (Lansing, MI) — $15,000
For general operating support. ACMH provides advocacy support for individual children and their families across Michigan by focusing on activities to enhance the system of services which address the needs of children with serious emotional disorders.
Autism Alliance of Michigan (Southfield, MI) — $25,000
For general operating support. AAoM is an advocacy organization focused on addressing treatment, access and support for individuals and families living with autism spectrum disorder.
Kevin’s Song (Madison Heights, MI) — $15,000
For general operating support. Kevin’s Song is an advocacy organization that brings families, providers, and policymakers together to learn and share evidence-based practices to prevent suicides.
Mental Health Association in Michigan (Troy, MI) — $50,000
For general operating support. MHAM is the state’s oldest nonprofit organization concerned with mental illness and is the leading policy and research advocate.
Michigan’s Children (Lansing, MI) — $65,000
For general operating support. Michigan’s Children aims to bolster the public policy research advocacy capacity of mental health providers, and youth and families who receive mental health services.
NAMI Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $15,000
For general operating support. NAMI Detroit constituent members cover the Foundation’s geographic focus of the city of Detroit.
NAMI Metro (Northville, MI) — $15,000
For general operating support. NAMI Metro’s constituent members cover the Foundation’s geographic focus of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County.
NAMI Michigan (Lansing, MI) — $50,000
For general operating support. NAMI Michigan and its statewide affiliates advocate at the state level for persons affected by mental illness and serves as a leading proponent on consumer and family involvement in care, treatment, and recovery.
NAMI Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor, MI) — $15,000
For general operating support. NAMI Washtenaw County constituent members cover the geographic focus of Washtenaw County.
Awareness, Education and Outreach Programs (Mini-Grants)
Beyond Riveting (Livonia, MI) — $5,000
To support the mental health awareness, education, and outreach to women veterans.
Connect Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To support BEAMS Summit to connect youth and adults through mental health workshops, youth panels, and resources.
Detroit Association of Black Organizations, Inc. (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To host Winter Wellness Community events and deliver training to increase mental health awareness.
Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To support a youth-led mental health awareness campaign at the Downtown Boxing Gym.
East Side Colts (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To equip Colts coaches as the doorway to teach youth mental wellness and stigma-free help-seeking.
Equality Michigan (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To support campaign to increase mental health awareness systems for LGBTQ+ youth.
Girls Group (Ann Arbor, MI) — $5,000
To provide a summer wellness series promoting social-emotional health and self-care for Washtenaw County students.
Greater Emmanuel Church of Christ (Farmington Hills, MI) — $5,000
To reduce stigma and increase awareness of isolation and depression among Detroit seniors and veterans.
Harlee and Harper Women’s Association (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To promote healthier outcomes and reduce maternal mortality rates through education and advocacy.
It’s a Grand Life (Beverly Hills, MI) — $5,000
To support podcasts to deliver trauma-informed mental health education, resources, and support for grandparents raising grandchildren.
Living and Learning Enrichment Center (Northville, MI) — $5,000
To create a digital resource library featuring participant-led educational videos and social content on mental health.
Nola Hope Project Incorporated (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To provide caregivers with mental wellness education, respite, support, and reducing burnout stress.
SafetyZone Community Cares (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To normalize mental health check-ins through education, self-assessment, prevention, and early connection to community resources.
Siena Literacy Center (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To provide mental health prescreening services and quality referrals for adult learners entering the literacy program.
Street Medicine Detroit (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To develop a community partnership to provide anti-stigma education to support overall wellness.
The Color of Autism Foundation (Beverly Hills, MI) — $5,000
To help autistic and neurodivergent Detroit youth build self-regulation skills.
The Elephant and the Willow Project (Novi, MI) — $5,000
To support three rotating workshops, to understand behavior, interrupt reactive patterns and build emotional capacity.
The Family Center of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods (Grosse Pointe Farms, MI) — $5,000
To support community and school-based book discussions featuring an expert panel of local therapists and physicians.
Washtenaw Area Council for Children (Ypsilanti, MI) — $5,000
To build resilience and positive mental health through cyber safety education and digital wellness.
Wayne County Probate Court Behavioral Health Unit (Detroit, MI) — $5,000
To provide educational materials for rapid response and support for adults with serious mental illness.
Collaborative Partnerships
Detroit Public Safety Foundation (Detroit, MI) — $100,000
To support the Mental Health Co-Response Program, a public health-centered model to address behavioral health crises.
NEO Philanthropy (Detroit, MI) — $200,000
To support Phase III of the Michigan Justice Fund (MJF). MJF has been awarding grants statewide over five years to advance safety/justice-focused initiatives aimed at reducing crime incidents, reducing Michigan’s reliance on incarceration and detention as a response to crime and diverting people from the criminal justice system.
The Board of Governors, Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) — $150,000
To create a sustainable, data-informed youth justice system in Wayne County that prioritizes services over incarceration through strong partnerships between the County, Court, community organizations, youth and families.
Learn more about the work of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation at flinnfoundation.org.
