News & Stories

Over $680,000 Awarded to to 98 Local Organizations

Photo credit: Goodwill Northern Michigan/Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan

Image description: Three children of different ages carry boxes of food toward the back of a Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan truck, which is parked in a farm field. The truck’s large logo and website URL are visible, and stacks of food boxes are being loaded nearby.

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The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation has awarded a total of $684,960 to 98 organizations across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties. These grant awards come from the Community Foundation’s designated endowments and support arts and culture, education, environment, health and human services, and youth causes and programs.

Designated endowments at the Community Foundation are created and supported with gifts from donor partners across the region and award grants to support specific nonprofits or programs year-after-year. These unique endowments provide annual grants to help with a local nonprofit’s work, services, and day-to-day needs.

Organizations receiving designated grants this spring include: 5Loaves2Fish NMI, Antrim County for Antrim Creek Natural Area, Benzie Area Historical Society & Museum, Central Lake District Library, Cherryland Humane Society, Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan, Goodwill Northern Michigan, Elizabeth Oliver Center for the Arts, Glen Lake Association, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Grass River Natural Area, Inland Seas Education Association, Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources, Mancelona Education Foundation, Railroad Point Natural Area, ShareCare of Leelanau, Torch Lake Protection Alliance, TART Trails, and Traverse City Philharmonic. A full list of designated grant partners is available at www.gtrcf.org/grants/designated-endowments-grant-awards.

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

Benzie Area Historical Society & Museum

“This funding directly empowers us to continue the vital process of preserving Benzie County's rich history. Specifically, it allows us to digitize the irreplaceable archival materials within our collection—documents, photographs, and records that tell the story of our community. More than just preservation, this grant enables us to make this history universally accessible. By adding these digitized materials to our online catalog, we are breaking down barriers of time and distance, ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can explore and connect with Benzie County's past, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." - Matt Varnum, Executive Director

Goodwill Northern Michigan

“The stewardship of our endowments by the Community Foundation is vital to the sustainability of Goodwill Northern Michigan’s mission-driven work. The annual distributions we receive provide critical, reliable funding that ensures we can continue to address homelessness and food insecurity in our region. In 2024, this funding helped us distribute over 2.2 million pounds of food to 78 food pantries and meal sites at no cost to them, benefiting rising need for the 16,000 people who use pantries to access the healthy food they need. It also supported our efforts to provide 39,800 nights of shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness, and helped 486 families and individuals move from homelessness into stable housing.” – Deb Lake, Chief Philanthropy Officer

ShareCare of Leelanau

“Having an endowment at the Community Foundation provides ShareCare with a sense of stability and partnership. This grant funding allows us to grow our programs like Memory Cafe, which offers connection for those experiencing memory loss and their caregivers. With this support, we can continue offering enriching monthly experiences that include engaging activities and shared meals in a no-judgment, welcoming environment. It helps us reduce isolation, support caregiver wellbeing, and build a compassionate network for those navigating memory-related challenges.” - Dawn Bousamra, Executive Director

Torch Lake Protection Alliance

“The funds from our endowment at the Community Foundation along with our membership’s contributions help us fulfill our mission. The mission of the Torch Lake Protection Alliance is to promote the responsible use of Torch Lake and actively protect its environment to preserve this geological gem. TLPA is wrapping up the largest study in Torch Lake history. Our goal is to identify what is causing the change in Torch Lake and determine what needs to be done to preserve the lake for future generations.” – Bruce Hulteen, Board Member

Traverse City Philharmonic