PARTNERS in Progress

Since March, $444,750 in grant partnerships have been awarded from the Fund for Community Good and Field of Interest funds to local nonprofits in Kent County. These grants are made possible due to the generous support of donor partners whose relationships with Grand Rapids Community Foundation span decades.

ANISHINAABE CIRCLE, $50,000

This grant will support Anishinaabe Circle in building meaningful relationships, bolstering organizational capacity and outreach to Native American communities.

BIKE SCENE RIDE SERIES, $25,000

This grant supports Bike Scene Ride Series by creating a summer bike ride series specific to Black and brown neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER, $10,000

This grant supports the Community Revitalization and Economic Development Center through a contract with a strategic planning organization to construct and fully deliver on plan goals and objectives that increase its impact on youthserving programs.

DISART, $25,000

DisArt is a production company and arts and cultural organization that creates public art events that cultivate and communicate a disability culture. This grant will support expanding community engagement and conversations around the intersections of race and disability for the purpose of advancing equity and inclusion. Made possible by Arthur H. Holmes Fund and George M. and Lucinda Ann Edison Memorial Trust Fund.

EBONY ROAD PLAYERS, $20,000

Ebony Road Players is a Grand Rapids theatre company that inspires, educates and engages cultures of the community with high-quality theatre productions focused on the Black experience. This grant will help grow the capacity for organizational operations, theater productions, and increasing education programs.

GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES, $65,000

Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives collects and retells the rich, colorful stories that compose the historic African American tapestry of living in Grand Rapids. This grant will help GRAAMA digitize collections, upgrade artifact preservation equipment and technical training updates.

GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY WORK MEN’S BREAKFAST & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, $15,000

The goal of Grand Rapids Community Work Men’s Breakfast and Family Engagement is to provide safe spaces for Black men in West Michigan to grow strong mentally while increasing support systems through fellowship and being celebrated.

JUSTICE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, $120,000

This grant supports Justice For Our Neighbors, one of the few providers of free or low-cost immigration legal services in Michigan. The Grand Rapids office annually provides pro bono immigration legal services to more than 150 low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers living in Kent County.

MEANING IN COLORS, $10,000

Meaning In Colors provides resources and services for individuals struggling with personal, academic, and professional growth. This grant supports its housing program, which focuses on helping individuals gain the skills and resources needed to secure safe, permanent and affordable housing. Made possible by Martin and Eileen Shedleski Family Fund and Homeless Prevention Endowment Fund.

MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS OF COLOR IN GRAND RAPIDS, $40,000

Mental Health Clinicians of Color in Grand Rapids helps our community by providing space to belong through BIPOC therapists and providers. This grant will help improve the user experience of individuals seeking culturally competent mental health services, and expand memberships to health professionals, students and provider networks. Made possible by Bruce Alexis Cornelius Memorial Fund for Mental Health Agencies; Emma Sherwood Evans Fund; Fund for Health; Elizabeth Steed Johnson Fund for Healthcare and Community Health.

MICHIGAN WOMEN VETERANS EMPOWERMENT, $10,000

Michigan Women Veterans Empowerment helps identify, connect and educate, advocate and empower all military veterans, service members, their family members and the youth in the eight dimensions of wellness. This grant supports its Dirt Therapy, an innovative program led by military veterans that educates and empowers school-aged children in agriculture and agribusiness. Made possible by The J. Leslie Livingston Memorial Fund

OSOFOMAAME, $10,000

Osofomaame`s mission is to empower Black youth and families through access to culturally competent and equitable educational support, programming, and resources through serving youth and families in local grand rapids communities, Kent County, and Ghana West Africa. This grant supports Osofomaame’s ability to formally establish a technical and organizational structure, capacity, and operational needs that usually occur during a nonprofit’s start-up phase.

OUR KITCHEN TABLE, $10,000

This grant will help support Our Kitchen Table, promote social justice and empower our neighbors to improve their health and environment through information, community organizing, and advocacy. The organization works with low-income Black families to improve health outcomes and reduce food insecurity by teaching them about nutrition and home gardening techniques. Made possible by Gordon and Janet Moeller Food Security Fund.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE 616, $25,000

This grant provides support to a collective of women of color to facilitate healing in our community through curated programming that centers on radical rest and joy.

ROOSEVELT PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, $9,750

This grant will help Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association maintain the integrity of the neighborhood as a good place to live, work and do business by empowering neighbors to improve the community and prevent crime. It will help engage and organize neighbors to elevate environmental justice and community safety concerns related to heavy truck traffic on Cesar Chavez Avenue. Made possible by The J. Leslie Livingston Memorial Fund.

ADDITIONALLY, IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR (WITH AN EMPHASIS ON BLACK COMMUNITIES), WE OFFERED 23 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS $250 EACH FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THEIR NEEDS, GAPS AND SERVICES.