Nonprofits receive $4.5 million in grants from Kalamazoo Community Foundation

Grants from Advised Funds, those for which the donor suggests grants, totaled nearly $1.562 million. Grants from Field-of-Interest Funds, those which a donor focuses on specific areas, were $937,122; and grants from funds for specific nonprofit agencies were more than $1.007 million.

Gants from unrestricted funds totaled just over $1.109 million in the fourth quarter. These grants support the Community Foundation’s four community investment priorities–early childhood learning and school readiness, economic and community development, programs benefiting individuals and families, and youth development.

They include:

• Kalamazoo Center for Youth & Community: $161,783 for quality youth development and neighborhood collective impact.

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation: $150,000 for operational support.

• Kalamazoo RESA: $134,500 for the Great Start Plus program.

• Kalamazoo County Land Bank: $100,000 for the Riverview Launch program.

• Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services: $100,000 for the Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Service Homeownership Center.

• Ecumenical Senior Center: $77,000 for operational support.

• Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equality (ERAC/CE): $75,000 for leadership and governance development.

• Comstock Public Schools: $50,000 for renovation of the Comstock Community Auditorium.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters: $35,000 for operational support.

• Kalamazoo Public Library: $23,347 for Kalamazoo Public Library’s Anti-racism Transformational Team.

• Kalamazoo Civic Theatre: $10,000 for Academy of the Arts.

• Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center: $9,000 for the Homeless Youth Coalition pilot.

• A Variety of other grants: $183,766.

The Community Foundation does more than provide grants to the community, says Suprotik Stotz-Ghosh, vice president for Community Investment. 

“Our leadership in the community is fueled by a deep knowledge of community issues and we work diligently with our partners – donors and nonprofits – to best serve the community’s short and long-term needs,” says Stotz-Ghosh. “This helps ensure that we are directing the right resources to the highest priority needs.”

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Tom Vance, Kalamazoo Community Foundation

Photos: Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services, Ecumenical Senior Center, Local Initiatives Support Corporation