We work to grow the self-worth and independence of lives that are slipping through the community’s cracks, in three ways:

OUR FOCUS AREAS:

Providing opportunity through scholarships, resources and support to those who would not otherwise have it, especially women and young girls of color.

1 / EDUCATION

Providing the most vulnerable — the marginalized, those with mental health challenges, the victims of domestic abuse, and animals — with physical and mental healthcare services.

2 / HEALTHCARE

Providing those living in poverty with food and housing essentials, and other basic family needs.

3 / FOOD & SHELTER

GRANT CRITERIA

We will consider
grants which meet
all of the following
criteria:

We fund projects for those with the least leverage. The system around us serves those empowered to help themselves, but for those with the least leverage, accessing it is a daunting challenge. We seek to reverse whatever circumstance has locked them out.

We fund optimistic ideas.
We believe in the human potential of even the least empowered among us. In their need to hope and their ability to grow. We believe in creating possibilities, and we want to work with people who see it the same way.

We fund grants that will deliver results. We think of our work as investing, with a measurable return in human capital. So, we look at the fitness of a program — its potential to change and improve lives in tangible ways. Goodwill is not enough; we are committed to making our dollars work hard.

PROGRAMS WE’VE SUPPORTED

  • The Grand Rapids Symphony, organized in 1930 and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a nationally recognized professional orchestra. Led by Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, it stages over 400 performances annually reaching roughly 200,000 people, serving as a cultural cornerstone for West Michigan.

  • Many student-athletes experience mental health problems, but they are often reluctant to seek help. The Athletes Connected program is a unique collaboration between the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Eisenberg Family Depression Center, and Athletic Department to increase awareness of mental health issues, reduce the stigma of help-seeking, and promote positive coping skills among student-athletes.

  • The Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Hackett Family Scholarship is offered to seniors and alumni — particularly women of color — from any public high school in the greater Grand Rapids area. Recipients must also be full-time undergraduate students attending an accredited college, university, or skilled trade school of their choice.

  • No one plans to fall behind on rent. But one lost job, one medical bill, one unexpected crisis and suddenly a family is facing eviction. That’s where the Family Stability Program comes in. They work with families to stop eviction before it happens, offering more than financial help. They offer time. Breathing room. A way forward. Because when a family stays housed, everything else stays possible.

  • Imagine a world where every child has the chance to pursue their dreams. Leaps & Boundless is our big-hearted promise to bring that reality to Michigan. At Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, it’s not just about getting better; it’s about giving every kid the opportunity to leap into a world where anything’s possible.

  • The Pantry was founded in 1981 by eight, now ten local churches to provide no cost food to low-income families and individuals. Volunteers provide all the labor and leadership. There is no paid staff. Families are provided a combination of canned goods, meats, dry grocery, bakery, deli, and fresh produce. Each family should receive enough food to feed a family of four with three meals a day for at least five days.

  • In 2005, the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) was founded with the intention of providing a culture of opportunity for people to make social and economic progress in their lives and community. Since then, WMCAT has connected more than a thousand adults and teens with opportunities to build creative confidence, develop power in aligning personal values with career options, discover leadership qualities born out of lived experience, and find economic security in meaningful careers.

  • Hand2Hand delivers nutritious food to students over the weekends and on extended school breaks by mobilizing churches, schools, individuals, and businesses to join together, providing hope and opportunity to thrive.