News

Updates and Insights from the Community Foundation

Featured Posts

  • 2023-2024 Annual Report

    Posted on November 08, 2024

    2023-2024 Annual Report
    In a pivotal year, Grand Rapids Community Foundation awarded $16,078,689 in grants to nonprofit partners and scholarships to students. The organization's total assets were stewarded to $448,331,707. Other results and stories from partners are highlighted [...]
Insights
  • Giving Tuesday, is it Worth it?

    Posted on December 01, 2016

    Giving Tuesday, is it Worth it?
    Earlier this week it was Giving Tuesday and Grand Rapids social media was all a buzz with giving promotion and nonprofit endorsements. Even if you don’t “do” Facebook, you might have received an email or [...]
  • Whose Etiquette Matters?

    Posted on October 10, 2016

    Whose Etiquette Matters?
    Insight by Jessica Ledesma, Challenge Scholars Assistant I could never describe what it felt like to “not belong” until my junior year of high school when I was invited to attend a Rotary luncheon featuring [...]
  • More Trees=A Better Community for All

    Posted on September 12, 2016

    More Trees=A Better Community for All
    In her State of the City address, Mayor Rosalyn Bliss called attention to a citywide goal of achieving 40 percent tree canopy as core to our city’s environmental sustainability and her work as mayor. In [...]

  • Posted on September 12, 2016

    2016 Scholarship Awards
    This year, Grand Rapids Community Foundation awarded 630 scholarships to students and awards totaled $1,148,150. “We are pleased to be able to award over $1 million for the third consecutive year,” said Grand Rapids Community [...]

  • Posted on August 26, 2016

    Involve Me and I Learn
    “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” What Benjamin Franklin was describing is what we now call experiential learning. Today marks my last day as Grand [...]

  • Posted on August 24, 2016

    Protecting against Tobacco Peer Pressure
    Recently, we awarded a $30,000 grant to Spectrum Health Foundation for continuation of the Spectrum Health Healthier Communities Youth Tobacco Prevention program. This grant helps Spectrum Health continue the all-important work of equipping Grant Rapids’ [...]

  • Posted on August 15, 2016

    Kicking Off the College Experience
    Three years ago, Grand Rapids Community Foundation staff members developed an idea for a three-day camp session solely for students in the Challenge Scholars program. They hoped camp would unite students from both Harrison Park [...]

  • Posted on July 22, 2016

    Honoring a Pioneering Businesswoman
    At Grand Rapids Community Foundation, we are well aware that our donors lead inspiring lives within our community. Recently donor Anna Bissell was honored with the unveiling of her statue, the newest in the Community [...]

  • Posted on July 05, 2016

    The Gift of Giving It Away
    Over the last few months, Grand Rapids Community Foundation has been spreading the word—via postcards, a special edition of Current, blog posts, videos, a special event and social media—about estate planning and planned giving. We [...]

  • Posted on June 21, 2016

    Affordable Options for Summer Fun
    I never went to sleepaway camp. To ensure I still enjoyed an active summer, my parents encouraged me to be physically and mentally active during those three months outside the classroom. My parents, both teachers, [...]

  • Posted on April 15, 2016

    Shifting for Diversity and Inclusion
    Can you recall a time you thought you had a great idea, a creative new approach, but when you shared that idea with others, it was quickly dismissed? When it comes to integrating diverse ideas, [...]

  • Posted on April 01, 2016

    Lead and the Work of Inequality
    The recent water crisis in Flint has highlighted the enormous challenges faced by marginalized populations, especially in cities still trying to recover from our changing economy. Basic life opportunities escape the grasp of those with [...]