Our thriving future and the solutions to get there will be shaped by community. We are committed to community philanthropy. That means allowing our partners—donor, nonprofit and community—to shape our work.
People in our community have ideas, skills and stories that help us solve collective problems together. Grand Rapids Community Foundation listens by talking with people, convening groups and sharing what we learn with the people we serve. This helps us understand what our community needs. Partners of all kinds trust us to help eliminate barriers to opportunity, prosperity and belonging.
Video Features: Sonja Forte, Executive Director, Baxter Community Center, Tarah Carnahan, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Treetops Collective and Laura Young, Donor Partner
As we plan for the future, we’re focused on bringing people together. We’ve invited partners—established and new—to help shape our strategies and how we give. Surveys, focus groups and in-person convenings give us feedback. This helps us learn more and stay open to our partners’ experiences and expertise.
Sonja Forte, Executive Director
Baxter Community Center
We don’t just work with the community to make strategic decisions. We get things done by building relationships. Community Foundation staff members are continually in conversation with community members and “return learning to the system” by sharing what they’ve heard. This helps us collect partners’ perspectives, build on knowledge and create feedback loops. Community Foundation Program Officer Giuliana Estrada says about the feedback students have shared, “There’s richness in here. We ask ourselves, ‘How do we continue to give this [community feedback] the attention that it deserves?’”
As we move forward in our work, we are grateful for our community’s insights and generosity. We are committed to continuing this approach and building on what we’ve learned through decades of relationship building.
Laura Young, Donor Partner
Our investment in equitable solutions is focused on addressing the root causes of systemic barriers. As we keep working toward a more equitable West Michigan, we promise to keep listening, learning and partnering with others on ideas that come from the community itself.
In a region known for its generosity, the Community Foundation does philanthropy differently. Our giving is collective. We all have a role in shaping our impact, and we need your continued partnership to keep striding toward a more equitable future.
