The gift is designated for the "Growing the Greater Good" campaign to raise $5 million for endowment and programming to take the Johnson Center to the next level of excellence. The funds will assist the center in expanding the programs and services offered to charitable foundations and the nonprofit sector and allow the center to disseminate them to a wider audience.
In its short tenure, the Johnson Center has established itself as a pioneering philanthropic leader and distinguished itself for serving as a bridge between research-based knowledge available and the practitioners whose work directly improves the quality of life in the region, state and the nation.
As an example of its work in the nonprofit sector, one Johnson Center program conducted an arts and culture survey for the City of Holland. It also assisted the Holland Community Hospital Foundation by researching and analyzing data on smoking during pregnancy and its relation to low birth rates.
"We are very gratified with this support," said Joel Orosz, interim executive director of the Johnson Center. "Community foundations provide critical assistance for the areas they serve, and our job is to help all foundations make the most of their grant dollars as they try to benefit those in need."
The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area looks for innovative projects that encourage, establish, protect and foster strong families and communities. The foundation is especially interested in active, early interventions and solutions to challenges being identified within the area-wide community.
For more information, contact Joel Orosz at the Johnson Center, (616) 331-7585, or GVSU News and Information Services at (616) 331-2221.
