Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Grand Rapids Community Foundation is Kent County’s philanthropic leader. By connecting people, their passions and our region’s resources, we have worked toward an inclusive and equitable West Michigan . For nearly a century, the Community Foundation has used the tools of philanthropy to respond to community needs. Today, to carry out our North Star and overcome racial, social and economic inequities, we must respond with intention and care. Our partners inspire, motivate and guide our work.

Gifts, Growth, Grants + Leadership

We Love Our Community!

As Kent County's philanthropic leader, the grants we award each year are made possible by financial gifts from donors—people who care about the greater Grand Rapids community and want to see it thrive. Our endowment relies on donor gifts and market growth for its success.

We lead by bringing people together to solve complicated community problems, realizing that for some issues there are no immediate solutions or simple answers.

A Foundation for Our Future

2020 - 2021 Annual Report
read Stories, Data and Insights

Discover stories, data and insights about Grand Rapids Community Foundation's commitment to equitable COVID-19 recovery, $18,983,109 in grants awarded to nonprofits and scholarships to local students and unrestricted grantmaking focused on racial, social and economic justice. 

Experience the annual report watch the video

Hear stories of partners working with us to make bold investments today that are foundational to our community’s future.

watch the annual report video
Philanthropists Among Us

The Community Foundation wraps up all the things we care about—education, health and children. It's here to enrich our community, and that’s important to us. We’ve been involved with the Community Foundation for many years and see good things happening. The people who work there and those who support it are powerhouses.

Phil and Kathy Vogelsang
Learn About Our Donor Groups

By The Numbers

Community Impact
Our Assets: $428 million

Through our permanent endowment we are moving toward a brighter future and managing Grand Rapids Community Foundations long-term growth and stability.

Grants and Scholarships

In 2020-2021 we awarded $19 million in grants and scholarships to nonprofits and students in West Michigan.

For more details about our work, you can view the 2020-2021 annual report below.

GRCF Annual Report 2020 - 2021

Welcome

Looking for a Scholarship or Grant Partnership? Youre in the Right Place!
Apply for Scholarships

Since 1945, Grand Rapids Community Foundation has been a major scholarship provider in Kent County, awarding more than $1 million every year to hundreds of students pursuing a higher education.

Apply for Scholarships Apply for Funding

All across Kent County, we are committed to creating a community that aggressively seeks to put an end to inequity. Since 1922, thanks to the generosity of donor partners, we have awarded over $245 million in grants to benefit our community. 

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Foundation News View All

Posted on October 25, 2021 Posted in: PublicationsMedia Release

In its latest year of operations, Grand Rapids Community Foundation awarded $18,980,109 in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students—a more than 40% increase from the previous fiscal year [...]

Posted on October 21, 2021 Posted in: Stories

Donor partners give in ways that are personal to them and impactful for our community. In 1929, Grand Rapids Community Foundation received its first major bequest from the estate of Mary [...]

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Community Happens Here

Learn More About us and the Work we do
People Make it Happen Here Wondering who does all the magic behind community philanthropy in Kent County? Meet the staff of the Community Foundation.

Our Staff

Community Leadership While making grants to nonprofits is core to our work, theres something else we do that sets us apart—we call it Community Leadership.

Our Initiatives

COVID-19 Recovery

While our community continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term impacts, Grand Rapids Community Foundation is committed to maintaining our near 100-year legacy of responding to the community’s most pressing needs. Our focus is to address the deep and historic racial, social and economic inequities that exist in our community and are intensified in times of crisis. Our response efforts will continue to remain fluid as we adapt to emerging needs.

COVID-19 Recovery

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