Posted on June 22, 2023

Partners in Community, summer 2023

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Relationships are the driving force behind the impact we have and will continue to make together. In this issue of PARTNERS in community, Grand Rapids Community Foundation explores various kinds of partnerships that make our work possible. From decade-long partnerships with volunteers and donors to emerging relationships with nonprofits, this issue explores how your support and collaboration move us forward. Read the entire magazine here.

PARTNERS banner - Marilyn Lankfer

Decades of Partnership Built on Trust & Purpose

Relationships that span decades naturally grow and evolve, shifting shape to include new features over time. Marilyn Lankfer’s 30-plus-year partnership with Grand RapidsCommunity Foundation reflects those changes. Click here to continue reading.

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Fund for Community Good: Volunteer-led Grantmaking

Mercedes Barragan, Fund for Community Good Advisory Committee co-chair, and Aaron Turner, committee member, share insights about the shifts this fund has undergone to create more equitable processes, the importance of volunteers and how the fund is working to develop more trusting relationships within the nonprofit ecosystem. Click here to read.

PARTNERS banner - Native Nations

Relationship Building with Native Nations

Native nations have a long cultural and philanthropic legacy in our community, and yet, until recently, the Community Foundation was not taking many strides in developing a deep, trusting relationship in those communities. This article describes a new approach rooted in relationship building. Click here to read.

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Staff Connections

View a snapshot of the dynamic 30+ staff members and our individual and collective investment in relationships. Collectively the Community Foundation staff have more than 317 total years of experience at the Community Foundation. Click here to read more.

The summer issue of PARTNERS in community also includes:

  • A letter from Diana Sieger, president
  • Sector Collaboration, an article about how these relationships make an impact and are working to move the philanthropic sector toward more equitable outcomes
  • $447,750 in grants awards from Fund for Community Good and Field of Interest funds
  • An announcement about our newest Trustee: Alexandria Smith, a student at Grandville High School

View this issue of PARTNERS in community and many previous ones at GRFoundation.org/Partners