Grants
Community Relief and Recovery Fund (CRRF) Grantmaking Program
The Community Relief and Recovery Fund was established to respond to the short and long-term impact that COVID-19 will have on individuals, families, and for-impact partners within Northwest Ottawa County. The name of this fund, Community Relief and Recovery, was selected with great intention and purpose. As we begin to shift from an emergency, immediate response we are anxious to provide you – our partners – with a sense of relief as we begin the process of recovery.
Grants from this fund are competitive and will support an organization’s core operation costs in an effort to allow the organization to fully support the communities of Northwest Ottawa County. Priority will be granted to organizations serving individuals, families, and/or communities most impacted by COVID-19.
Areas of focus include:
- accessible nutrition
- access to arts & culture, education
- frontline fatigue
- physical and mental health
- safe housing
- vulnerable communities such as seniors and youth
Application and Award Process
In an effort to get vital resources to our communities as quickly as possible, the GHACF is committed to rapid response, trust-based philanthropy.
We are utilizing JotForm in order to provide quick and transparent access to the Community Relief and Recovery Fund Grant Program.
If you would like to work on your application over the course of a few days, please be mindful that you will need to proactively create an account with JotForm. Click below for instructions on how to create an account and save your application.
Grant deadlines and notification dates:
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 – Application Deadline
Friday, April 30, 2021 – Notification Date
Questions? Contact Holly Cole, VP of Grants & Program at hcole@ghacf.org.
Grantmaking Priorities
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation will consider grants that seek to enhance the quality of life and promote a healthy, inclusive, collaborative, and diverse community in Northwest Ottawa County.
Click the icons below to learn more about our individual priorities and how you can help support their funds!
Grant Application Process
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation is proud of our role as a community grantmaker. We aim to increase the capacity of the nonprofit sector by making strategic community investments in programs that advance our mission of improving and enhancing the Northwest Ottawa County area.
Funding Eligibility
Please consider whether your organization meets the following requirements:
- Has a current 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS, is a unit of government, or a religious or educational institution.
- Serves the Northwest Ottawa County or greater West Michigan region.
- Addresses one or more of the foundation’s grantmaking priorities of funding sources for the program or project in order to demonstrate sustainability.
Important Dates
for GHACF grants
November 18, 2020 – Preliminary Application Due
December 30, 2020 – Grant Deadline
February 26, 2021 – Notification
February 17, 2021 – Preliminary Application Due
March 31, 2021 – Grant Deadline
May 28, 2021 – Notification
May 26, 2021 – Preliminary Application Due
June 30, 2021 – Grant Deadline
August 27, 2021 – Notification
August 18, 2021 – Preliminary Application Due
October 6, 2021 – Grant Deadline
December 3, 2021 – Notification
Youth Grant Program
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council awards grants annually to support local programs and projects that work to expand programming and opportunities for the young people in our community.
Important Dates
April 30, 2021 – Grant Deadline
May 2021 – Notification
October 29, 2021 – Grant Deadline
December 2021 – Notification
Technical Assistance Grant Program
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation has a Technical Assistance Grant Program designed to assist nonprofit agencies in their efforts to build their organization’s internal capacity and effectiveness and fund activities that increase the success and impact of the organization’s programs. Applications may be submitted at any time for consideration. It is recommended that potential grantees call the Foundation to discuss their project prior to submitting an application. Please allow at least 4 weeks for the Foundation to consider your application.
For questions about the grant portal or our grantmaking process and guidelines, contact our Vice President of Grants & Program, Holly Cole.
Grant Impact Stories
Foundation Surpasses $1M Granted for COVID-19 Relief
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation has granted $216,231 from its Community Relief & Recovery (CR&R) Fund to 11 area for-impact organizations serving individuals, families, and communities most impacted by COVID-19.
Supporting Our Local Environmental Organizations
A significant part of our mission and commitment to enhancing the quality of life in Northwest Ottawa County includes prioritizing, protecting, and preserving the environment through thoughtful stewardship, advocacy, and education.
A few of our grantees leading meaningful environmental initiatives within our community took a moment to express their appreciation to the foundation as we continue to celebrate our 50th anniversary. We have had the pleasure of working with wonderful mission-driven organizations, including the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Department and the Ottawa County Parks Foundation, the Outdoor Discovery Center Network, the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, and the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum over the years to support our shared environmental commitment.
COVID Relief Grant Recipients Highlight the Impact of Your Contributions
A few of our COVID relief grant recipients—Mosaic Counseling, Love in Action, Four Pointes Center for Successful Aging, Good Samaritan Ministries, and St. John’s Episcopal Church—took a moment to discuss the impact of these contributions and explained just how much this support has helped the important causes they lead throughout the Northwest Ottawa County area.