As a part of the Reorganization plan recently approved by the House of Delegates, mandatory membership in the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) and the county medical society has been eliminated. Physicians can choose to join MSMS, their county medical society or both.
To ensure Michigan’s county medical societies navigate this evolution successfully, the MSMS Foundation has launched the County Medical Society Transition Grants. These grants offer targeted financial support between $1,000 and $7,500 to fund critical capacity-building projects that establish independent operations and elevate local member services. Program details are below.
MSMS Foundation County Medical Society Transition Grants
1. Eligibility
- Applicant: Must be a county medical society in Michigan.
- Leadership: The society must have an active Board of Directors or designated transition committee.
- Member Involvement: At least one active MSMS physician member must be involved in or sponsor the grant activity.
2. Qualifying Transition Costs
Grants must be used for capacity-building and independent operations, including but not limited to:
- Administrative Systems: Purchasing or upgrading billing software, accounting systems, and membership databases.
- Marketing and Communications: Developing county-specific marketing materials, redesigning websites, or launching digital outreach campaigns to retain and grow membership.
- Legal and Governance: Updating bylaws to transition from chartered components to independent 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(3) entities.
- Operational Setup: Securing virtual office infrastructure, digital communication tools, or staffing/consultant support for the transition.
3. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated on the following:
- Need: Clear demonstration of financial or operational need stemming from the MSMS reorganization.
- Sustainability: A realistic operational and financial plan showing how the county will sustain itself long-term post-transition.
- Impact: How the requested funds directly improve the delivery of services to county physician members.
4. Application and Reporting Process
- Application: Applications should follow the MSMS Foundation Grant Application structure at https://www.msms.org/foundation-grant-application.
- Accountability: Grantees will submit a simple post-project report detailing how funds were spent and the progress made toward independence.
5. Key Dates and Deadlines
- July 8, 2026: Grant applications open.
- October 16, 2026: Grants applications are due.
- November 4, 2026: MSMS Foundation Board of Directors meeting to review requests.
- November 30, 2026: Grant awards paid out to approved county medical societies.
6. Funding
- Grants awards will depend on the number of grants received, quality of proposals and funding requests. As general guidance, applicant requests should be in the range of $1,000 to $7,500. The MSMS Foundation has sole discretion of funding decisions.
For questions about the reorganization, please contact Rebecca Blake at 517-336-5729 or rblake@msms.org.