The Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in Newaygo County through strategic focus on education, poverty reduction, and community and economic development. By setting long-term goals like increasing education levels, lowering poverty rates, and maintaining low unemployment rates, the foundation seeks to foster a focused community effort towards generational change, requiring collaboration and support for a robust nonprofit infrastructure.
The grant program focuses on early childhood investments, STEAM education, literacy, remediation, and the promotion of a positive college and career-oriented culture within Newaygo County. It is designed to align with five education indicators highlighted by the Newaygo County Area Dashboard. Priority areas for grant applications include: Kindergarten readiness, opportunities to explore STEAM fields, boosting literacy proficiency, assisting with learning retention and reducing the achievement gap, and programming that offers social/emotional support or removes barriers to college and career success. The initiative seeks to support programs that demonstrate a measurable approach to achieving these outcomes.