CASSOPOLIS, Mich. — Midwest Energy & Communications (MEC) surprised 29 teachers in January with grant awards from the 2025-2026 Strengthening Schools program. Grants are funded via partnership dollars through Wolverine Power Cooperative, MEC’s power supplier.
MEC received 101 qualifying grant applications requesting more than $161,000. A committee consisting of three co-op electric customers evaluated and scored all applications and determined final awards without knowledge of the school, district, or community. Each winning project received up to $2,500 in grant funds, with a maximum of $5,000 per school district, and a total of $30,000 awarded.
The following grants were awarded:
- Addison Elementary School: Updated equipment for chicken hatching project
- Bloomingdale Middle & High School: Woodshop equipment
- Cassopolis Middle School: Headphones for special education accommodations
- Clinton Middle School: Supplies for scientific cooking class
- Clinton Middle School: New books for middle school library
- Coloma Elementary School: STEM building kits
- Decatur Public Schools: Updates and repairs to old playground equipment
- Davis Elementary: STEM tools and safe cardboard cutting tool
- Davis Elementary: Phonics magnetic boards
- Edwardsburg Primary School: New incubator and supplies for chicken hatching project
- Gobles Elementary School: Growing Writers book sets for kindergarteners
- Lincoln Elementary School: Mini Yoto audio players for first grade
- Lybrook Elementary: New playground equipment
- Marcellus Elementary School: PE classroom equipment
- Mendon Jr/Sr High School: Field trip to Binder Park Zoo
- Michener Elementary School: Decodable readers and games to practice phonics
- Michener Elementary School: Hands-on phonics tools and interactive dry-erase board
- Michener Elementary School: Secret Stories phonics tools
- Morenci Elementary: STEAM activities for kindergarteners
- Niles High School: New classroom library books
- Onsted High School: Basic need items for high school office
- Onsted Middle School: Equipment upgrades for Trades & Tech Lab
- Paw Paw Early Elementary: Materials for Peaceful Pups developmental program
- Paw Paw Later Elementary: Kindles for better access to books
- Schoolcraft Jr/Sr High School: Books to expand student book club participation
- Tecumseh High School: Games and activities to support and engage students with disabilities
- Van Buren Intermediate School District: Task boxes for special education classroom
- Watervliet High School: Upgraded woodshop tools
- Watervliet South Elementary School: Board books for special education classroom
MEC launched the Strengthening Schools grant program in 2013 to help public school teachers, administrators, and officials reach students in new and exciting ways. Since 2013, the co-op has awarded more than $300,000 in grants.
Information and applications for the 2026-27 funding cycle will be available at teammidwest.com/strengthening-schools-grants beginning in April.
Grant Reviewers Needed
A committee of MEC electric customers decides which Strengthening Schools proposals get funded. We are currently seeking volunteers for the upcoming award cycle.
Interested electric customers who can dedicate time to reviewing, discussing, and awarding grants, including meeting in person for one full weekday in the fall, can email pr@teammidwest.com for consideration.
The review committee does not know the school, educator, or district when determining recipients.
