Grants
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 9, 2022: Preliminary Application Due
December 28, 2022: Application Due
February 24, 2023: Notification
February 8, 2023: Preliminary Application Due
March 29, 2023: Application Due
May 26, 2023: Notification
May 17, 2023: Preliminary Application Due
June 28, 2023: Application Due
August 25, 2023: Notification
August 16, 2023: Preliminary Application Due
October 4, 2023: Application Due
December 1, 2023: 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
Spring Grant Round
February 1, 2023 – Application Opens
March 15, 2023 – Grant Deadline
May 26, 2023 – 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
$50,000 in Grants Awarded to Local Municipalities in Celebration of 50 Years of Service
In continuation of our 50th anniversary celebration, our foundation recently granted $50,000 to local municipalities to improve the quality of life and promote a healthy, inclusive, collaborative, and diverse community in Northwest Ottawa County.
Community Book Read
In honor of our 50th anniversary, we were able to make possible several smaller, community-focused activities including the donation of books to students. In May of this year, we gave a copy of the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? to every Northwest Ottawa County second grader, local public libraries as well as school and classroom libraries. This resulted in a total of nearly 1,000 books gifted.
Grant Lifts Up Program for Latinx Leaders
The Board of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce four third-round Community Impact grant awards, totaling $275,000, in support of Northwest Ottawa County and our surrounding communities. This includes a $40,000 grant to Tri-Cities Puentes Initiative for “LEADeres Lakeshore,” a leadership and professional development program for Latinx professionals and leaders in the lakeshore area.