Deadline: 18-Aug-21
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF) is pleased to announce the Community Relief and Recovery Fund Grantmaking Program to respond to the short and long-term impact that COVID-19 will have on individuals, families, and for-impact partners within Northern Ottawa County.
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.
Focus Areas
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
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.
- Arts & Culture: The Foundation believes that a community that embraces culture and the arts enriches all lives. They give priority to projects that:
- Bring regional and national art and cultural experiences and opportunities to the community
- Supports programs that deliver arts and cultural experiences to under-served populations of the community
- Support the collaboration and growth of local arts and cultural organizations within the community.
- Diversity & Inclusion: The Foundation stands together with communities of color and remain committed to empowering the inherent worth and dignity of all. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important aspects of the foundation and one of the Community Impact grant priority areas.
- Economic & Community Betterment: The Foundation believes that energetic, vibrant communities are vitally important to the livelihood of all residents of Northwest Ottawa County. They encourage projects that:
- Support cooperation among municipalities, especially in the areas of recreation, transportation, as well as consolidated planning.
- Support the revitalization and beautification of areas of commerce in the region.
- Education: The Foundation believes that the youth of Northwest Ottawa County are the future. It’s important to them that they are serving all students of the community. Priority will be given to projects that:
- Address the barriers preventing students from pursuing post-secondary education opportunities.
- Improve student access to the necessary academic, social, and emotional resources required to reach their full potential.
- Support access to and participation in quality preschool programs, particularly those in under-served populations.
- Environment: The Foundation believes that effective outreach should extend not only to the social community, but to the physical community as well. Priority will be given to environmentally focused projects that:
- Center on the preservation of natural green space and “smart land use” planning.
- Address critical water quality issues, including: near shore health, sustainability of wetlands, and non-source pollutants. Lake Michigan, the Grand River Watershed, Spring Lake, and local creeks and streams are of special concern.
- Promote environmental sustainability through alternative energy initiatives and recycling projects.
- Health & Human Services: The Foundation believes that a successful, inclusive, and collaborative community should provide opportunities for people to live healthy and fulfilling lives. They give priority to projects that:
- Support access to physical and mental health services
- Promote healthy lifestyles and relationships for all
- Address priorities based on data gathered through Community Needs Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans
- Support local health initiatives that are endorsed by multi-sector collaboration
- Address human needs for underserved populations
Eligibility Criteria
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.
For more information, visit https://ghacf.org/grants/