Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund
ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
About Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund
The LJ Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund primarily channels large, place-based investments into community infrastructure and direct services in the Grand Haven/Muskegon region. Their giving favors local grantmaking intermediaries and capital/campaign support for civic institutions, while also funding youth development, literacy, workforce training, and affordable housing projects. Awards tend to support organizational capacity and capital needs rather than small program pilots.
Focus Areas
Local community foundation endowment/grantmaking (Grand Haven area philanthropic infrastructure)Capital and campaign support for YMCA and other community recreation facilitiesAdult and youth literacy infrastructure (e.g., Read Muskegon headquarters/capacity)Workforce and vocational training in skilled trades (diesel/heavy equipment programs)Affordable housing and shelter construction (Habitat for Humanity/local housing projects)
Who They Fund
youth and childrensmall / local farmers
About Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund
A $1.06 million grant to the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation stands out as the clearest marker of the Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund’s style: it uses large, local awards to strengthen civic infrastructure. The fund’s recent giving also includes a pair of $100,000 grants to Tri-cities Family YMCA in consecutive years, one labeled for a capital campaign and one for "Y of All: A Campaign to Honor Our Legacy and Build Our Future." That pattern points to a funder that is comfortable making substantial commitments to community institutions over time, not just one-off project checks. The foundation’s portfolio centers on place-based support in and around Grand Haven and the broader Muskegon area, with grants that reach literacy programming, workforce training, affordable housing, youth services, and conservation-related campaigns. Recipients include Read Muskegon, Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, and Tri Cities Area Habitat for Humanity Inc., suggesting attention to both service delivery and the facilities or campaigns that help organizations operate at scale. Grantmaking is heavily oriented toward established local entities and capital needs, with a strong emphasis on community benefit within Michigan.
What Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund Funds
Community infrastructure is a defining theme in the Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund’s recent grants. It gave $1,060,000 to Grand Haven Area Community Foundation for grant making, showing support for local philanthropic infrastructure rather than only direct service. Youth and family-serving organizations are another clear area. The fund awarded $100,000 to Tri-cities Family YMCA for a capital campaign and $20,200 to Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore for "Great Futures Start Here." In literacy, it provided $30,000 to Read Muskegon for "Learn, Transform, Thrive; Building a Home for Literacy Program," tying funding to program space and capacity. Workforce and practical training also appear in the portfolio: Ottawa Area Intermediate School District received $21,573 for diesel/heavy equipment mechanics training, and Tri Cities Area Habitat for Humanity Inc. received $20,000 for affordable housing.
How Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund Gives
Grant sizes cluster at the high end of the foundation’s distribution: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000. The recent record shows both one major anchor grant and a series of mid-sized awards, suggesting a mix of large institutional support and smaller project-specific gifts. The pattern also looks recurring rather than purely one-time. Tri-cities Family YMCA received $100,000 in both 2024 and 2025, with different campaign purposes. The foundation appears to be organized as a grantmaking fund and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its giving is local and concentrated in Michigan.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$242K
Total Assets
$6.9M
Total Revenue
$2.9M
Total Expenses
$307K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $100K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BARBARA VANHEEST
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Lj Midge Verplank Community Impact Fund?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime