KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Bell’s Brewery is expanding its outreach to philanthropic causes.

The name of Bell’s Brewery’s new charitable initiative takes a note from their slogan, ‘Inspired Brewing.’ ‘Inspired Giving’ will help fund social and environmental nonprofits.

Since its establishment in 1985, the company prides itself on giving back, but its environmental programs director, Walker Modic, said they wanted to streamline their efforts to maximize its impact.

“The need and desire to codify something we’ve always done and revisit how we do it and see if we can be more efficient … that was what really brought us to the Inspired Giving concept and program,” Modic explained.

The focus for its grant cycle’s first year surrounds a resource valuable to both the company and its home state.

“As a brewer, we’re significant users of water. We need a considerable amount of water. It’s a primary ingredient for us,” Modic said.

Water consists of 90% of what goes into every Bell’s beer according to the company. But Modic says the company wants to be even more intentional with the resources.

“We want to be good stewards,” Modic said. “We can do that internally, through best practice, engineered design solutions.

“But ultimately, good water stewardship has to go beyond our building and into some of the other spaces that we don’t have direct oversight over,” Modic continued. “The quality of the water we use in the brewery is connected by the quality of the groundwater. Protecting groundwater in the greater Kalamazoo area is more we can do on our own internally.”

For every barrel of beer sold, Bell’s Brewery will donate one dollar to organizations they support, as part of Inspired Giving. Nearly $480,000 has been raised so far in 2022 and continues to climb.

Through the initiative’s Grassroots Grant program, at least $100,000 will be awarded to select nonprofits. This year’s cycle will focus on water stewardship organizations who advocate for clean water coming from taps in breweries and faucets anywhere else.

“We think good, true stewardship means that there is equitable access to clean, fresh, high-quality, safe water for everyone for the foreseeable future,” Modic said. “To deliver on that expectation of stewardship, we need to be working outside of just the brewery’s walls.”

There are specific rules on who can apply. You can find the rules at bellsbeer.com.

Bell’s Brewery is accepting those applications now through Oct. 15. Awards will be announced in November and funded by the end of the year.