orsa foundation
Housing. Jobs. Mobility. Making Michigan stronger with Belonging.
Resources. Relationships. Real Impact.
At orsa credit union, we love Michigan. How better to show up for our great state than by striving for a future where all Michigan communities are just, thriving, and vibrant? Building on our legacy of giving, we created the orsa foundation to make real, lasting impact in Michigan communities.
To do this, we’re tackling Michigan’s largest barrier to economic prosperity: housing affordability. We are walking alongside our partners, funding what makes housing attainable, while strengthening our workforce, and fostering community mobility.
We're building a movement of belonging. Join us!
While lots of foundations just write checks, we don’t believe that’s Enuff. Real, lasting change takes partnership and collaboration. That’s why we go beyond the dollars, walking with our grant partners to achieve the change they know is possible. To see our approach in action, take a moment to watch this message from our executive director; featuring the stories of a few of our grant partners.
Our Funding Priorities
What we fund
Beyond these core pillars, we’re committed to strengthening the ecosystems that support them. That means helping our grant partners grow and boosting the networks they’re part of.
Making housing attainable
Empowering homeownership and safe and stable housing across Michigan.
Strengthening the workforce
Supporting Michigan women & minority-led enterprise, and promoting arts education & critical thought development for youth.
Fostering community mobility
Boosting independence and autonomy for individuals and their communities.
Making Housing Attainable
Our Top Priority
Strengthening the Workforce
Great jobs are a catalyst. The path shouldn’t be a mystery.
Strong businesses and visionary leaders build thriving communities. Yet, women and minority leaders remain underrepresented despite driving higher growth and engagement. Our foundation backs programs that equip them with the skills and networks to succeed. We also champion arts education, fostering creativity and problem-solving in young people, and work to expand access to these vital programs.
Fostering Community Mobility
Mobility isn’t just about wheels. It’s also about the things communities need to succeed.
We believe community mobility is about empowering individuals and communities with the tools they need to thrive. This includes access to broadband for telehealth and remote work, as well as reliable transportation to connect families to jobs. Communities across Michigan are calling for solutions to these barriers, and we’re committed to partnering with them to expand access to the resources that drive success.
Making lasting Impact needs a different approach
The orsa foundation’s primary action is making grants to nonprofit, charitable organizations. But our foundation is about more than just dollars. We see ourselves as allies of our grant partners, walking with them as connectors, good listeners, and thought partners. Our team is actively working on the same issues we fund, so Michigan can be the most thriving state in the nation.
Impact not endowment
The orsa foundation will not seek to establish an endowment. That means the dollars we raise will go to the need right now. Not stored up to trickle out forever.
Make real Impact, right now
With no endowment, the dollars we raise go to making an impact in Michigan directly—ASAP.
Relentless Impact in action
News
$71k Raised at the 2025 Pickleball for Good Fundraiser!
With over $71k raised, it’s safe to say that the foundation’s second annual Pickleball for Good Fundraiser has been a huge success! Thanks to our sponsors, donors, and pickle-ballers, bringing the community together means bringing housing within reach for more Michiganders!
Story
The 2nd Annual Pickleball for Good: Can You Beat $60K?
The biggest "dill" in pickleball charity events is back for the second year with all new challenges to keep the goodness going!
News
Choose the Bear: Success Stories
When 1 in 2 women face abuse in their lifetimes and 99% of those also suffer financial abuse, is it any wonder that women chose the bear? See their stories.
Contact The orsa foundation
Anyone can be a philanthropist!
You don’t need a cool million to be an important donor, you just need a commitment to giving! Whether you’re new to giving or a seasoned donor, your support for the orsa foundation will go directly to expanding our grantmaking.
For Grantees
orsa foundation Grants
Is your organization working to put housing within reach, create a stronger and more equitable workforce, or foster community mobility? We would love to hear from you! Please take some time to familiarize yourself with our funding pillars. If you see alignment, we want to learn more about your work. Reach out to our foundation team and let’s get connected!
Our team is deeply committed to showing up as a grant partner not just a funder. We walk alongside those we fund as thought partners and champions because we share your desire to overcome the barriers facing members of our communities. Part of our commitment is appropriately valuing your organization’s time and capacity. For this reason, we strongly encourage applicants to reach out and explore if alignment exists for funding before applying for any open grant rounds.
Target Geography
The orsa foundation’s target geography focuses on five counties in Northeast and Southeast Michigan: Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw, Otsego, and Montmorency Counties. Organizations seeking funding must provide service or otherwise directly impact one or more of these counties. Statewide initiatives which make a specific impact in these counties are also eligible.
Who is eligible
501(c)(3) charitable organizations, in good standing with the IRS.
The orsa foundation grants will not fund
- Event sponsorships
- Endowments
- Retroactive funding
- Grants to individuals
- Grants promoting political and religious ideologies and doctrines
- Organizations who discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
Grant Funding
Learn more about our grant funding
Our annual grant round will be open April 3rd through May 21st! If you’re interested in being an orsa foundation grant partner, familiarize yourself with our application guidance and funding priorities below. If you see alignment, we strongly encourage you to email our foundation team.
Important things to know:
- It is strongly encouraged to be in touch with our Foundation team before beginning your application. If you are interested in submitting, contact us by email at foundation@orsacu.org.
- We are not making unrestricted grants, but we are willing to fund operational expenses tied to programs/initiatives.
The most successful applications will:
- Create new or leverage existing partnerships, coalitions, or other means of collective impact.
- Strengthen or rethink the ecosystem around a specific issue or set of issues related to our funding pillars.
- Address root causes and barriers to issues related to our funding pillars.
- Align with more than one of our funding pillars.
- Present a clear and demonstrable vision of how our grant will help drive success for your organization, mission, or impact area.
- We don’t expect the most professionally written grant, but we do expect thoughtful and thorough responses—Note, thorough does not mean the longest.
Important things to know:
- It is strongly encouraged to be in touch with our Foundation team before beginning your application. If you are interested in submitting, contact us by email at foundation@orsacu.org.
- We are not making unrestricted grants, but we are willing to fund operational expenses tied to programs/initiatives.
The most successful applications will:
- Create new or leverage existing partnerships, coalitions, or other means of collective impact.
- Strengthen or rethink the ecosystem around a specific issue or set of issues related to our funding pillars.
- Address root causes and barriers to issues related to our funding pillars.
- Align with more than one of our funding pillars.
- Present a clear and demonstrable vision of how our grant will help drive success for your organization, mission, or impact area.
- We don’t expect the most professionally written grant, but we do expect thoughtful and thorough responses—Note, thorough does not mean the longest.
ABOUT THE orsa fOUNDATION
The history of how we got here
For the last 25 years, orsa credit union has grown its commitment to reinvesting in the communities we serve. In the last five years alone, $3.6 million went to back to our communities. In December 2022, the orsa foundation was incorporated to help the credit union make deeper, lasting impact on issues like affordable housing. In December 2023 the orsa foundation was granted 501(c)(3) charitable status and launched with our three funding pillars and a commitment to give at least $10 million by 2033.
The orsa foundation culminates decades of giving and reasserts orsa’s commitment to the communities we serve. As we open this next chapter, we hope you’ll walk with us to put housing, great jobs, and economic mobility within reach for more Michiganders.
Corporate Sponsors
It takes a community
Thanks to our corporate sponsors for walking with us in this incredibly important work.
Title Sponsor
Magnify Sponsors
Thrive Sponsors
Ignite Sponsors
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