Stories

Posted on November 11, 2019 – Posted by:

Locally Driven Philanthropy by and for Communities of Color

Grand Rapids Community Foundation is among the international grant partners selected for W. K. Kellogg Foundation’s new Catalyzing Community Giving cohort. The initiative seeks to amplify locally-driven philanthropy by and for communities of color, and [...]
Posted on October 21, 2019 – Posted by:

Creating a Legacy of Service

Selma Tucker wants his gifts of time, talent and treasure to help people build better lives Selma Tucker arrived in Grand Rapids by way of Grand Valley State University. As a young man living in a [...]
Posted on October 18, 2019 – Posted by:

Eva Aguirre Cooper, 2019 Jack Chaille Community Philanthropy Award Recipient

Congratulations to Eva Aguiree Cooper, recipient of the 2019 Jack Chaille Community Philanthropy Award. For Eva, philanthropy isn't just about donations and volunteering - it's how she lives her life. Her countless contributions include serving on nonprofit [...]
Posted on August 13, 2019 – Posted by:

40 Years (and Counting) of Faith and Love

Karen Kania and Peg McClure plan to create a fund to focused on addressing basic needs Karen Kania and Peg McClure both grew up in the Grand Rapids area. They come from similar backgrounds and value [...]
Posted on July 17, 2019 – Posted by:

PARTNERS in community, Summer 2019

Grand Rapids Community Foundation's recent issue of PARTNERS in community is ready for you to read and enjoy! This summer we are excited to bring you stories of youth engagement. Below you will find links to view featured [...]
Posted on June 03, 2019 – Posted by:

Youth Grant Committee Partners to Benefit Youth

Each year a diverse team of high schoolers works together to impact the community by serving on our Youth Grant Committee. They recently celebrated the culmination of their year by announcing $50,000 in grant partnerships [...]
Posted on May 28, 2019 – Posted by:

A Legacy of Love and Belonging

Sandy Ward plans to create a scholarship fund to honor her late husband’s passion for the arts When Sandy Ward's late husband, Cedric, was in the fourth grade, his teacher, Norma Brink, invited [...]
Posted on March 13, 2019 – Posted by:

Celebrating Black History

Donors and friends of Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s African American Heritage Fund gathered recently for a night of celebration, reflection and fellowship. During the social mixer, we honored Black history, celebrated philanthropists in our community [...]
Posted on January 29, 2019 – Posted by:

A Legacy of Family Giving

How do you wish your life to be remembered? What legacy do you want to leave? These are the questions answered with effective estate planning. Generations of people have built our community’s endowment through planned [...]
Posted on December 20, 2018 – Posted by:

Annual Report 2017-2018

2017-2018 Annual Report A community is defined by the people who call it home. Our community has the potential to be anything we want it to be. There is potential everywhere in West Michigan—potential that can break [...]
Posted on December 04, 2018 – Posted by:

Youth in Philanthropy

This past October, Rob Collier, former president of the Council for Michigan Foundations, invited me to be a closing plenary speaker for the CMF Annual Conference. The featured speaker for the event was Frans Johansson [...]
Posted on November 09, 2018 – Posted by:

2018 Jack Chaille Community Philanthropy Award Recipients: Carol Sarosik and Shelley Padnos

At the 2018 Grand Rapids Community Foundation Donor Celebration, Carol Sarosik and Shelley Padnos were awarded with the 2018 Jack Chaille Community Philanthropy Award. Carol and Shelley are transformational leaders. Learn more about this power couple and the [...]