Negaunee City Manager Nate Heffron said the Negaunee Little League was awarded $500 and the Vista Theater received $1,000 from the Negaunee Community Contributions Grants program.

“This is a great way to give back to our local nonprofits,” Heffron said in a press release issued Monday. “Negaunee is blessed to have a variety of organizations that help to improve our quality of life every day.”

Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council President Lex Exworthy said the funds will help keep the historic Vista Theater up and running into the new year.

“This grant will help pay our operational costs at the Vista Theater, which are always higher in the winter,” Exworthy said in an email on Monday. “PAAC is very grateful to the city of Negaunee and WPPI for their support.”

Little League players are pictured. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

The grant program contributions were made possible through community relations funding from WPPI Energy, a regional wholesale power provider and joint action agency serving 51 locally-owned electric utilities including the city of Negaunee, Heffron said.

The WPPI program, which has provided roughly $18,600 in funding since 2006, recognizes the importance of community outreach within the member-owned utility, officials said.

“WPPI knows how important it is to be good stewards of the community, we are happy to be part of the great things happening in Negaunee,” said Brett Niemi, senior energy services representative of WPPI.

Starting in June, Heffron said any nonprofit within Negaunee city limits can pick up an application for the grant program from the city treasurer’s office or online at the city’s website, www.cityofnegaunee.com. More information will be released on the qualifications and the deadline for applications this spring.