News & Stories

By including the Community Foundation in their will, Bill and Mary Smith are ensuring their love for this region continues to have an impact for generations.

From lifelong educators to generations of local farmers, this year’s Kalkaska award winners reflect the heart of a close-knit, community-focused county. Meet the 2025 honorees making a lasting impact.

We're excited to share that Alison Metiva will become our next President & CEO effective January 1, 2026. Alison will succeed David Mengebier who will be stepping down from the position at the end of 2025.

What exactly does a community foundation do? Our Board Chair, Jerry Ring breaks it down—from smart charitable giving to solving big local challenges together.

What happens when LGBTQ+ teens find a space where they can truly be themselves? Camp4All, a gender-affirming summer camp in Antrim County, is making that possible.

Less than half of young children in our region start Kindergarten ready to learn—but a local initiative is working to change that. Books from Birth, a collaboration between our grant partner, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and other local organizations, is ensuring every newborn receives the gift of literacy.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Kalkaska Citizen of the Year, a decades-long tradition in Kalkaska County that honors a resident for their civic involvement. Award nominations are accepted through February 21.

While the funding freeze is now rescinded, we remain ready to take action so that we can continue supporting our local communities in a flexible, responsive, and collaborative manner.

We've wrapped up our 32nd year in 2024 with $3.7 million grants and scholarships awarded and $2.7 million in gifts from community members across the region.

More than 100 scholarships are now open through the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation that aim to support the secondary education pursuits of graduating high school seniors, current college students, and vocational/trade school students from across the region.