Black Impact Collaborative addresses the systemic challenges facing Black communities in Greater Grand Rapids. BIC is a trusted leader in mobilizing resources, advocating for equity, and implementing culturally responsive programs to improve health, economic stability, and overall wellbeing. This grant supports their general operations and the expansion of their senior program, which provides financial and legal literacy programming for Black elders.

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center provides immigration legal services to unaccompanied refugee minors.

Better Wiser Stronger empowers young men in Grand Rapids through education, mentoring, and leadership development. This funding will help Better Wiser Stronger expand its programs and strengthen its fundraising efforts. With a growing team and impactful community initiatives, Better Wiser Stronger is creating lasting opportunities for youth.

This grant supports Latino Community Coalition’s 2025 monthly meetings, which serve as a vital platform for grassroots movements advocating for Latinx and immigrant communities in West Michigan. These gatherings will provide education, resources, and opportunities for collective action on critical social issues. Our funding helps ensure that community groups leading this important work receive support, while also covering meeting space and meals for attendees.

City of Rest works to share resources and empowerment for sustained transformation. This grant supports their Grand Rapids Alternative Correctional Experience programming.

Urban League of West Michigan assists all people in achieving self-sufficiency and equality. The Urban League is an organization where everyone is empowered through economic independence. This grant supports the Urban League’s growing operational needs as they launch their Community Development Financial Institution and Center for Economic Development for Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs.

A Glimpse of Africa brings people together to showcase, educate, celebrate, and share the diverse African cultures. It fosters essential community programs that voice, advocate for and address African refugees' and immigrants' needs and disparities. This grant supports their participation in collaborative efforts and community engagement for the African community in West Michigan.

Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives describes its mission as collecting and retelling the rich, colorful stories that compose the historic African American tapestry of living in Grand Rapids. This grant award supports their general operations as they acquire and move into a new building.

Urban Core Collective is a collective effort of local organizations to facilitate access to education, health and economic prosperity for our neighbors. This grant supports the self-determination and agency of historically marginalized communities by engaging in advocacy, community organizing, and leadership cultivation that transforms living conditions and the distribution of power in the greater Grand Rapids area.

Anishinaabe Circle’s mission is to provide and promote the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental welfare of Native American communities by coordinating and administering culturally relevant social services which increase self-sufficiency and promote Native American culture. This grant supports the development of a community-informed strategic framework for the future of the organization.

This grant supports UCCs work to support organizers, movement leaders and nonprofit organizations that are collectively working to ensure residents are actively engaged and informed throughout the 2024 election cycles.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan was established in 1959 to defend our civil liberties. This grant supports their ability to provide a unique training opportunity for new civil rights lawyers and develop a talent pipeline for attorneys of color.

Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives describes its missions as collecting and retelling the rich, colorful stories that compose the historic African American tapestry of living in Grand Rapids. This grant supports their general operations and was made possible through funding provided by Consumers Energy Foundation.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities strives to provide an environment of care and belonging for children and adults living in the Grandville Avenue neighborhood and beyond. This grant supports their general operations and was made possible through funding provided by Consumers Energy Foundation.

This grant to the Nonprofit Technical Assistance Fund invests in a collaborative program of local grantmakers to address the needs for consulting services and technical and organizational capacity needs in Kent County.

Diatribe’s mission is to use restorative art to disrupt historical systems of oppression by reimagining education, holistically honoring the community through our approach to our work, and creating an unapologetic vision for liberation that is accessible to all. This grant will help them purchase the Emory Arts and Culture Hub in Garfield Neighborhood, support their expanded staffing plan to increase capacity for after-school programming, and provide a mixed-use space for artists, entrepreneurs, and community gatherings.

UCC is serving as the fiduciary for a collaborative effort to strengthen the ecosystem of community-led advocacy in Kent County. Through this grant, UCC will invest in the community and support proactive initiatives expanding the infrastructure and access to support for organizers and movement leaders.

This grant will support Anishinaabe Circle in building meaningful relationships, bolstering organizational capacity, and outreach to Native American communities.

This grant supports Bike Scene Ride Series by creating a summer bike ride series specific to Black and brown neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.

DisArt is a production company and arts and cultural organization that creates public art events that cultivate and communicate a disability culture. This grant will support expanding community engagement and conversations around the intersections of race and disability to advance equity and inclusion. Made possible by Arthur H. Holmes Fund and George M. and Lucinda Ann Edison Memorial Trust Fund.

Ebony Road Players is a Grand Rapids theatre company that inspires, educates and engages cultures of the community with high-quality theatre productions focused on the Black experience. This grant will help grow the capacity for organizational operations, theater productions, and increasing education programs.

Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives collects and retells the rich, colorful stories that compose the historic African American tapestry of living in Grand Rapids. This grant will help GRAAMA digitize collections, upgrade artifact preservation equipment, and perform technical training updates.

The goal of Grand Rapids Community Work Men’s Breakfast and Family Engagement is to provide safe spaces for Black men in West Michigan to grow strong mentally while increasing support systems through fellowship and being celebrated.

Michigan Women Veterans Empowerment helps identify, connect, educate, advocate, and empower all military veterans, service members, their family members, and the youth in the eight dimensions of wellness. This grant supports Dirt Therapy, an innovative program led by military veterans that educates and empowers school-aged children in agriculture and agribusiness. Made possible by The J. Leslie Livingston Memorial Fund.

Osofomaame`s mission is to empower Black youth and families through access to culturally competent and equitable educational support, programming, and resources through serving youth and families in local grand rapids communities, Kent County, and Ghana West Africa. This grant supports Osofomaame’s ability to formally establish a technical and organizational structure, capacity, and operational needs that usually occur during a nonprofit’s start-up phase.

Providing support to a collective of women of color to facilitate healing in our community through curated programming that centers radical rest and joy.

Has Heart Coffee Shop was awarded this grant to open and operate a coffee shop and creative studio for veterans at Veteran's Memorial Park. This partnership was made possible by the Cecilia Hoagland Fund for Local Veterans.

In support of the State of Michigan Office of Foundation Liaison.

In support of efforts to raise money for the Lyoya family.

To support ongoing work of dismantling racial discrimination by building internal capacity, education strategies, and accelerating change in key areas including criminal justice, health care, education, climate, and the economy.

To support ongoing capacity to build a collective movement of public and private organizations aimed at ensuring all children in Kent County have an equitable path to economic prosperity through quality education, and family and community support.

Making Mexican History in West Michigan.

Equipping boys and men of color with financial education, healthy behaviors, strong relationships, and reducing barriers to access and opportunity.

To support technical assistance for the City of Grand Rapids participatory budgeting process. This partnership was made possible by the Kent County COVID-19 Recovery Fund.

This grant supports the pre-development of a permanent location which will provide an opportunity for an expanded permanent exhibit dedicated to telling the story of African Americans, specifically hometown heroes, provide space for programming, and allow the organization to host pop-up and traveling exhibits.

This grant supports organizational capacity and infrastructure as GAAH engages with neighbors through arts and humanities to cultivate curiosity, creativity, and trusting relationships in ways that validate them as they forge new pathways. They provide community art classes, after-school and summer tutoring and academic support, and teen leadership opportunities. This partnership was made possible by the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts and the Robert D. Mieras Fund for Dance and Music.

Organizing Congolese community activities in support of the Lyoya family.

Support for African refugees and immigrants listening sessions and space for processing grief.

To support programming, coordination, designers, and brand ambassadors for an online Grand Rapids/West Michigan history map and digital application. This partnership was made possible by the Estate of Annette Richards.

In support of the Lyoya family.

Investment in a collaborative program that provides grants for consulting services to meet technical and organizational capacity needs for nonprofits in Kent County. 

To uplift African voices in decision-making spaces by supporting advocacy and community organizing for better outcomes in health, economics, and education through programming, resource connection, and networking.  

Capacity building to expand performing arts programming and services that empower youth to raise awareness of social issues. This partnership was made possible by the Fund for Arts and Social Engagement and the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.

A free 3-day camp experience for up to 12 middle-school students that helps equip them for community organizing, activism and advocacy. 

For program expansion to provide immigration legal services and education for low-income individuals.

To support the Black and Disability Civil Rights Exhibition. This partnership was made possible by Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.    

To create a more inclusive performing arts community for kids and adults. This partnership was made possible by the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.   

For the development of a performing arts space. This partnership was made possible by Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.   

To sustain art programming for youth in the Grandville Avenue neighborhood. This partnership was made possible by the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.   

To grow artists who educate audiences about social justice through the performing arts. This partnership was made possible by the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts.    

For the growth and development of youth in the arts. This partnership was made possible by the Leonard and Eileen Newman Fund for the Arts. 

To empower youth through music, academic, and leadership development. This partnership was made possible by the Robert D. Mieras Fund for Dance and Music.   

To increase access to African history taught through storytelling and traditional African drum and dance artistry. This partnership by Robert D. Mieras Fund for Dance and Music.