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Community Grant Program

Space Wood Ducks

The Dow Ludington Operations Community Grant program is an annual program that funds special service projects in local communities throughout Mason County.  This grant program is designed to address specific community needs, solve problems or improve the quality of life for residents in the Ludington area.  Projects that impact a large number of people and emphasize substantial, visible community improvements are given priority for this program.  A few such projects where the Community Grant program provides funds and where Dow employees and retirees volunteer their time, talents and energy are:

  • Andre’ Bosse Center, a multi-county Child Advocacy Center that offers programs and services in Oceana, Mason, Newaygo and Lake Counties.  In addition to serving as an advocate for children, the Andre’ Bosse Center works to strengthen families and to prevent, treat and eliminate child abuse. 

  • Ludington Area School District, who as a result, has expanded their physics library and added computer-based lab-stations and computer-aided equipment to help teach and reinforce physics concepts. 

  • Ludington High School, who as a result, purchased a color spectrophotometer for its chemistry department, enabling high school students to enhance their learning of chemistry and to experience high-quality scientific instrumentation.

  • Pere Marquette Marsh and Wood Duck and Mallard Project, in cooperation with Dow, allows Hart High School ecology students, to create wood duck and mallard nesting sites on Dow property to provide the waterfowl with suitable habitats for eggs and raising their young.  The students receive a hands-on educational experience in wetland ecology. 

  • Portage Lake Water Quality Testing Project, in cooperation with the Snell Environmental Group on behalf of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Village of Onekama, has hosted more than 280 area high school science students over the past 14 years.  The students receive a hands-on, scientific, educational experience in vital natural resource preservation and stewardship.  In addition, students learn about the ecology of the 21 square miles encompassed by the Portage Lake watershed as they conduct scientific tests and produce water quality reports.

  • Mason County Walleye Association operates a Walleye rearing project for the Fisheries Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Many of the lakes throughout Michigan are stocked with the fish raised by the project. The Mason County Walleye Association significantly contributes to the plentitude and quality of local sport fishing, an essential contributor to the tourist economy of the Ludington area.

  • Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) is an organization involved with watershed restoration activities on 15 rivers throughout 13 counties in Northwest Michigan.  Among several projects, the CRA has developed the River Care program to provide water quality and in-stream habitat improvements in rivers, as well as the Wild Link program to provide landowners with assistance in improving area wildlife habitats. Activities of these projects include installing fish habitat structures, stream bank stabilization, erosion control and reversal and recreational access improvements. 

  • Scottville Playground is a children’s play facility, designed to encourage healthy, constructive and safe recreation for over 6,000 youth in Mason County.

  • Women's Jericho House of Mason County is a free home where single, homeless women may live while they learn how to manage their lives without drug and alcohol addiction, obtain a job, learn financial responsibility and end their homelessness.

  • “Just Imagine” Science Camp is a childhood and scientific literacy initiative made possible by the participation of Dow, the Mason County District Library, Sandcastles Children’s Museum and local science teachers who donate their time and funds to provide free educational opportunities to 3rd through 6th graders covering topics such as Life Science, Physical Science and Earth Science. 

  • “Keeping Babies Safe” is a program that provides educational opportunities and safety equipment, such as car seats and cribs to promote infant and child safety.

Dow and its retirees and employees also help to support the efforts of countless other community organizations, including Boy Scouts of America, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity of Mason County, Rotary Club and Kiwanis Club.