Transformational Grant Making...
Helping Create a Sense of Place
Rotary Charities Grant Making Has a Lasting Effect on the Region’s Land and Water, Jobs and Economy.
Walk a mile of the over 100 miles of rivers, lakes and streams of Northern Michigan, now protected forever through the efforts of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
Visit Traverse City’s Father Fred Foundation where daily lessons in grass-roots humanity abound—people reaching out to help people.
Stroll the streets of a vibrant downtown Traverse City with the marquee lights ablaze at the State Theatre and in the shadow of the thriving Grey Lady (Park Place Hotel), once closed and in bankruptcy.
Or visit the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation’s website for an understanding of how its $35 million in assets benefit a wide range of fundamental life quality issues in the region.
Birthed or fostered by Rotary Charities over the years, these organizations and many more represent some of the cornerstones of its transformational grant making.
And though crafting a sense of place through land preservation and water protection will always be a hallmark of Charities’ philanthropy, regional community building and its related effect on the economy is another of Rotary’s lasting legacies, along with being key to its vision in the form of current activities like The Grand Vision.
“At a very basic level, one of the very real outcomes of our grant making has been its economic impact on the region,” reflects Marsha Smith, Executive Director of Rotary Charities. “In this new economy, it’s all about developing a sense of place. And frankly, that’s what Rotary Charities’ grant making has always been about—helping to create a quality place to live, work and play. It’s our belief that Charities has helped support the creation of jobs and employment, both timely and significant issues, as a result of this focus on place.”
Strong Partnerships and a Commitment to a Shared Vision
When people come together for a common purpose, amazing things happen. Follow the links below to learn more about how transformational grant making is impacting this region.
