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, November 25, 2020 – Application Deadline
Friday, December 18, 2020 – 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.
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 1, 2020 – Grant Deadline
May 29, 2020 – Notification
September 30, 2020 – Grant Deadline
December 4, 2020 – Notification
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 20, 2019 – Letter of Inquiry Due
January 2, 2020 – Grant Deadline
February 27, 2020 – Notification
February 19, 2020 – Letter of Inquiry Due
April 1, 2020 – Grant Deadline
May 29, 2020 – Notification
August 19, 2020 – Letter of Inquiry Due
October 7, 2020 – Grant Deadline
December 4, 2020 – 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
Recent Grants Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are important values of the foundation and one of our Community Impact grant priority areas. When events of racial injustice spurred national conversation earlier this year, we joined forces with local partners to support the LEDA pledge and opened a summer grant round specifically for DEI work in our community. In an effort to begin to address the systemic racism within our community, we invited key for-impact organizations to partner with us in their work to foster community conversation and address systemic racism.
North Bank Helps Protect History
The North Bank Communities Fund awarded a grant to Spring Lake Township to replace the roof on the historic DeWitt School. “The North Bank Community Fund does exactly what they say with their funds. They have been long time supporters of the DeWitt School—first with the bell tower renovation and now with the new roof.” –John Nash, SLT Supervisor
Community Rallies Behind COVID-19 Relief & Recovery
Thanks to community support from people like you, we exceeded our $600,000 fundraising goal, which allows us to continue aiding community relief and recovery in response to COVID-19.