As we reflect on 2019 and look forward to 2020, we here at the foundation are filled with an overwhelming amount of gratitude. Whether it was coming together around critically important community issues or generously donating time, talent, treasure, and ties, we thank each of you. We thank you for your continued trust, for partnering with us, and for continuing to support our mission to enhance the quality of life for all in our community.
In 2019, we completed the first year of our new, three-year strategic plan, which is dedicated to inspiring greater philanthropy, proactively stewarding investments, and focusing our grantmaking to ensure positive community impact. While it’s too early to share the finalized results for 2019, through the generosity of our donors we were again able to award over one million dollars in grants from our Greatest Needs Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and the Youth Fund. Through our responsive and impact-driven grantmaking, we supported programs and projects in Arts & Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, Economic & Community Betterment, Education, Environment, and Health & Human Services.
Please see these highlights from this past year’s grant rounds:
Grant Helps Pave Way for Housing for All
Recent Grants Focus on Youth, Wellness
Recent Grants Support Teen Center, Books for Students
We also continued long-standing partnerships, such as the work with Housing Next (download 2019 Summary Report), and initiated discussions on many opportunities to strengthen our community in the years to come.
It is a genuine privilege to lead the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. Looking back on my first year here, I am inspired by the generosity, involvement, and collaboration of our community. The GHACF is dedicated to building a strong future for everyone in Northwest Ottawa County, and we couldn’t do it without you.
The new year—and new decade—brings about great excitement, hope, and opportunity. As we continue to grow and evolve, we have begun plans to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2021. We look forward to sharing this milestone with you, while remaining focused on positively impacting our community.
Hadley Streng,
President