PA RT N E R S
in Progress
Grand Rapids Community Foundation has a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with many local nonprofits that are leading change and influencing our community for generations to come. Thanks to the generous support and partnership of donors, our Board of Trustees recently approved $200,000 in grant dollars to the following nonprofit.
PROJECT GREEN (GRASSROOTS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT NETWORK), $200,000 Project GREEN turns everyday people into money heroes and reduces the detrimental impact of payday lending. Project GREEN is equipping local residents to become grassroots financial advocates. In turn, the GFAs are educating their friends and neighbors on financial wellness through workshops and media outlets. The GFAs are also advocating to eliminate systemic barriers that keep low- and moderate-income residents from obtaining their financial goals.
OUR COMMITMENT TO
Youth Engagement
Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s role in Kent County goes beyond grantmaking. As West Michigan’s philanthropic leader, we lean into complicated community issues by working alongside our growing network of community partners, including our youth leaders. Here is an update on some initiatives and issues impacting youth in our community.
CHALLENGE SCHOLARS DREAM FUND Since its launch in August 2018, the Challenge Scholars Dream Fund has been supporting projects of all shapes and sizes to accelerate student success. To date, the Dream Fund Committee has awarded $131,454 to 39 projects ranging from making takehome literacy kits for young readers to civil rights education through spoken word poetry. The Dream Fund is helping Challenge Scholar students be more prepared for college or career training. Learn more at challengescholars.org/dream-fund.
YOUTH ENRICHMENT SCHOLARSHIP (YES!) PROGRAM
PARTNERS in community | 7
The work of the YES! Program is two-fold. First, it provides enriching summer camp experiences for students in Grand Rapids Public Schools, beginning in the fourth grade and continuing through the summer of their eighth grade year. This year, 92 students are gaining independence, further developing self-confidence and building new friendships while enjoying adventures in the great outdoors through the YES! Program. The second feature of this program includes scholarships for college or vocational training. As former YES! campers complete high school, they become eligible to receive a $1,500 renewable scholarship award towards continuing their education. This year, 14 students are recipients of a YES! Program Scholarship. This program was created 25 years ago through the support of the Gillett family and many other donors. Rick Gillett and the program’s first program coordinator, Laurie Gardner, remain involved in the YES! Program.
