Diana R. Sieger is the president of the Grand Rapids Commmunity Foundation. For more information, visit Diana's President's pages or view her biography.

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President's Point of View: Our investment in our community

December 2, 2007

When people think of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, they point to the many grants made each and every year addressing all aspects of our community. Because of the generosity of many wonderful donors, the staff and Board of Trustees and our dedicated volunteers, spend a great deal of time reviewing proposals for funding from our area fine nonprofit organizations!

As noted previously in my blog and on this website, the Foundation is in the process of making another investment in our area by purchasing the 100 year old Icehouse on Grandville and Oakes! We plan on going for LEED certification, paying attention to preserving and amplifying the old bones of this beautiful building and to invest in a wonderful way to be part of the downtown growth and development.

Community and economic development and growth are critical to this Foundation. We are leaders in many aspects of this in the greater Grand Rapids area. Our investment through grants is one way of demonstrating this and buying this building is another clear indication of our long term support to our great metro area.

So if you think or hear that this money could be used better to go back out to the community, we think that is exactly what this building represents! New Markets Tax Credit financing and donations will go a long way to help us accomplish this dream and to help grow this Foundation for the present and most importantly for our future! Our projected cost savings means that those dollars will be directed to meaningful projects in our area. This is a great investment!