News & Stories

$600K Awarded to 88 Local Organizations

[Photo Credit: Glen Arbor Arts Center | Image description: Sound Garden Quintet musicians standing for a photo with members of Forging for Peace.]

The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation has awarded a total of $600,710 to 88 organizations across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties. These grant awards come from the Community Foundation’s designated endowments and provide support across each of the Foundation’s funding focus areas, including arts and culture; education; environment; health and human services; and youth.

The Foundation’s designated endowments are established and supported by one or more donor partners and provide grant funding, in perpetuity, to a specific nonprofit organization in the region. Grants from designated endowments are awarded once a year to support a nonprofit partner’s operations and programs.

Nonprofit partners who received designated grants this season include: 5Loaves2Fish Northern Michigan, Antrim County, Benzie Area Historical Society, Cherryland Humane Society, Elizabeth Lane Oliver Art Center, Glen Arbor Arts Center, Goodwill Inn & Homeless Services of Northern Michigan, Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging, Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources, Leelanau Community Cultural Center, Mancelona Education Foundation, and Traverse City Philharmonic (formerly Traverse Symphony Orchestra), among others.

Partners who serve communities in the region share the impact that their designated endowments have had on their organizations:

"We are grateful to have an endowment fund with the Community Foundation because it provides financial stability and support for our organization,” said Emily Kanitz, Operations Director for 5Loaves2Fish Northern Michigan. “The endowment helps ensure that 5Loaves2Fish will be able to continue our mission of promoting compassion by providing nourishing meals, infused with love, to those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness.”

“The Antrim Creek Natural Area is the longest stretch of contiguous, undeveloped shoreline between Northport and Norwood,” said Jeremy Scott, Antrim County Administrator. “Partnering with the Community Foundation helps Antrim County protect this unique coastal ecosystem now and for future generations.”

“The Senior Services Millage supports the services we provide to seniors in Grand Traverse County, but it comes with some limitations on how it can be spent. The Endowment at the Community Foundation allows us to think outside the box,” said Lana Payne, Director of the Commission on Aging for Grand Traverse County. “The Endowment provides funding for financial assistance to seniors and provides funding we can use for things like employee appreciation and attendance awards, which millage funds cannot be used for.”

“The Community Foundation assists us by aiding donors who want to sustain our organization,” said Scott Bouma, Executive Director of Glen Arbor Arts Center. “Giving to the Glen Arbor Arts Center Endowment creates an opportunity for donors to leave a lasting legacy of support which is the ultimate gift. This investment helps us to maintain annual programing, operations, and staff.”

A full list of designated grant partners is available at www.gtrcf.org/grants/grant-awards.