Operations, Programming, and Pilots Grants (OP3)
$5,040,010.45 ($5,836,369.55)
Our OP3 grants represent the bulk of our giving and provide investments and partnerships to mission and vision aligned nonprofits to support what’s working well, pilot new interventions to address community needs, and support special one-time projects that advance their work. For organizations that are fully mission aligned, there is also an opportunity to receive general operating grants to provide flexible support to further the entire organization. Grants are approved on a quarterly cadence and are centered on mutual learning and accountability.
In 2023, we added our first program, officer, Trudy Ngo-Brown, to help us deepen our relationships with those seeking funding, offering greater capacity to answer questions and engage in conversation around potential partnership. By having a dedicated contact with time and space to support our grantees and spend more time rooted in community, we’re closing the power dynamic between grantee and grantor, helping us to be a better partner and support projects that are both more mission-aligned and reflective of community needs.
Affinity Mentoring
Social Emotional Growth and Safety through Diverse, Inclusive, and Equitable Mentoring
Grant: $75,000
Ann + Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Michigan Fatherhood Survey
Grant: $211,401 ($212,901)
AYA Youth Collective
Comprehensive Health Initiative for Youth
Grant: $100,000 ($100,000)
Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth
Be You Wellness and Workforce Readiness Programming
Grant: $100,000 ($100,000)
Catherine’s Health Center
Mental Health Support for Student Success
Grant: $100,000 ($60,000)
Children’s Advocacy Center
Healing the Story, Healing the Pain, Halting the Cycle
Grant: $30,000 ($60,000)
Cook Museum of Natural Science
3-Year STEAM-Based Education Program for Limestone County and Athens City Schools
Grant: $91,045 ($140,917.50)
Diatribe Inc.
Operational Support for Diatribe Expansion + Growth
Grant: $125,000 ($250,000)
Educate Tomorrow
Changemakers Kent County, MI
Grant: $30,000 ($60,000)
Family Promise of West Michigan
Room to Grow Advancement Campaign
Grant: $75,000 ($150,000)
Grand Rapids Art Museum
Connecting Children + Young Adults to Empowering Arts + Cultural Experiences
Grant: $200,000 ($375,000)
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
Community Belonging + Engagement
Grant: $100,000 ($100,000)
Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Challenge Scholars
Grant: $125,000 ($125,000)
Grand Rapids Public Museum Foundation
Immersion Program
Grant: $100,000 ($200,000)
Grand Rapids Symphony
Fostering a Love of Music for Community Families
Grant: $150,000 ($150,000)
Grand Valley State University
REP4: Rapid Education Prototyping for Change, Learners, Community + Equity
Grant: $250,000 ($250,000)
Grand Valley State University
Storytime GR: A Citywide Summer Literacy Program
Grant: $35,000
Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities
Community-Led Evaluation for Cook Library After School
Grant: $50,000
Health Net of West Michigan/FitKids360
Capacity Building for Greater Impact
Grant: $60,000 ($60,000)
Health Net of West Michigan
Addressing Social Determinants of Health in an Alternative School Setting
Grant: $50,000 ($100,000)
Learn to Read Council of Athens and Limestone Co
Sustaining LTR Programs for Adult and Student Advancement
Grant: $15,000
Michigan Afterschool Partnership
Expansion of MASP Services to Kent County
Grant: $75,000 ($75,000)
Michigan League for Public Policy
Grand Rapids Community Engagement
Grant: $50,000 ($100,000)
Michigan State University
Kent ISD Restorative Practices Research-Practice Partnership
Grant: $85,630,00 ($164,336.98)
MSU Extension
Youth + Teen Mental Health First Aid
Grant: $48,184.07 ($48,184.07)
Our Hope Association
Support for Women’s Specialty Services + Family Programming
Grant: $65,000
Public Thread X
Catalyst Youth Program
Grant: $75,000
Realism is Loyalty
Each One Teach One Intensive Mentoring Program
Grant: $100,000 ($100,000)
Refugee Education Center
Refugee Youth Academic Success + Cultural Orientation Full Continuum Support for 0-24 Years
Grant: $100,000 ($200,000)
Rende Progress Capital
Three-Year Capacity Building to Impact Excluded Entrepreneurs
Grant: $88,750
Special Olympics Michigan
Building Tomorrow’s Champions – Unified Champion School Expansion
Grant: $50,000
The Leadership Academy
Extension of West Michigan Leadership Academy
Grant: $50,000
Together West Michigan
Problems to Proposals – Issues Campaign Development
Grant: $50,000
United Methodist Community House
UMCH Child Development Center
Grant: $125,000 ($125,000)
Wedgewood Christian Services
Autism Center for Child Development Playground
Grant: $30,000
West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Talent Development Pilot Programs
