Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation

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Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation We exist to remove barriers and enrich the education of ALL Grand Rapids Public Schools students.

The Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation is about more than just raising money. We identify and strengthen partnerships and engage the community to use their resources to support Grand Rapids Public Schools students. Since 1993, we’ve raised money to provide tools and enrichment experiences for the students of Grand Rapids Public Schools. We currently invest our energy and funds in the following priorities: Literacy, The Arts, Math Science & Technology, Environmental Education, and Physical Wellness. Mission: Cultivating community resources to enrich educational experiences and remove barriers so every student learns, develops, and thrives. Vision: All GRPS students are inspired and supported to pursue their dreams and shape their community’s future. Values:
● Dedication: We are a dedicated partner to GRPS by being intentional in our consistency and responsiveness in meeting the needs of the scholars.
● Equity: We pursue equity in opportunities and outcomes by ensuring all scholars share in the abundance of our community.
● Inclusion: We create equity-based solutions by fully valuing and affirming all identities and experiences in our design, decision making, and partnerships.
● Integrity: We demand integrity from ourselves, GRPS, and all partners by focusing on accountability, financial responsibility, and transparency.
● Collaboration: We value collaboration by working openly, honestly, and authentically with donors, partners, and GRPS.
● Possibility: We believe that every student has the potential to be an educated, self-directed, and contributing member of society.

💙🧡 Five years of making a difference!This week, we're introducing (or re-introducing) you to Suzanne Prell, our Business...
10/09/2026

💙🧡 Five years of making a difference!

This week, we're introducing (or re-introducing) you to Suzanne Prell, our Business and Grants Manager! As she celebrates more than five years with the GRPS Foundation, Suz continues to bring her belief in the potential of every student to the work we do to support GRPS students and educators.

From nostalgic school-day memories to bike trail rides, there's plenty more to Suzanne than meets the eye!

Swipe through to get to know Suzanne beyond her job title. We're grateful to have her on the team!

Attention educators and principals:We've seen what a little funding can do. 🧡💙A mini-grant can turn a teacher's idea int...
10/07/2026

Attention educators and principals:
We've seen what a little funding can do. 🧡💙

A mini-grant can turn a teacher's idea into a hands-on learning experience, bring new resources into a classroom, or help a principal bring a bigger idea to life.

These are just a few examples of what GRPS educators have made possible with support from the GRPS Foundation.

Apply before the October 15th deadline: https://grpsf.org/im-a-grps-employee/

✨ We're kicking off the staff edition of Faces of the Foundation with our newest team member, Christine!✨As our Project ...
10/02/2026

✨ We're kicking off the staff edition of Faces of the Foundation with our newest team member, Christine!✨

As our Project Manager, Christine brings a thoughtful, community-minded approach to the work we do to support GRPS students and educators.

But, of course, there's more to Christine than project plans and getting things done. Swipe through to get to know her a little better, from her favorite school memories to what she's currently binge watching on tv!

Every artist starts somewhere. 🎨Right now, for about 25 GRPS students, that “somewhere” is ArtPrize.Students from Innova...
10/01/2026

Every artist starts somewhere. 🎨

Right now, for about 25 GRPS students, that “somewhere” is ArtPrize.

Students from Innovation Central Middle School, City High/Middle School and Coit Creative Arts Academy created colorful dragonflies that are now on display throughout Heritage Hill.

It’s a great reminder of what can happen when students have the tools and freedom to create.

That’s what Color Our Classrooms is all about.

$2 for every GRPS student → $26,000 goal.

Help us put creativity into every classroom. 🎨

Donate Now:
https://givebutter.com/color-our-classrooms-art-supplies-for-scholars

“I didn’t think of myself as a poet before I made this poem.”That’s the kind of moment we love to see. 💙🧡With support fr...
09/24/2026

“I didn’t think of myself as a poet before I made this poem.”

That’s the kind of moment we love to see. 💙🧡

With support from a $500 Teacher Innovation Fund mini-grant, CA Frost teacher Bea McPherson gave her students the opportunity to explore blackout poetry and other creative projects—and more than 150 students got to see what they could create.

This is what mini-grants are all about: giving GRPS educators the resources to turn great ideas into meaningful learning experiences.

📚 Read the story and learn more about Teacher Innovation Fund and Principal Fund mini-grants at grpsf.org.

🏆 Speaking of Misti…Earlier this week, the GRPS Foundation team had the opportunity to attend the Grand Rapids Sports H...
09/18/2026

🏆 Speaking of Misti…

Earlier this week, the GRPS Foundation team had the opportunity to attend the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony celebrating the 2026 class of inductees and their lasting impact on our community.

We were especially honored to celebrate the induction of Sekou Smith, beloved Grand Rapids native, sports journalist, and brother of our own Board President, Misti Stanton Smith. 💙🧡

The evening also has a special connection to the Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation as proceeds from the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame’s annual events support our Great Sports Great Kids program helping to create opportunities for GRPS students through sports and recreation.

Congratulations to the entire 2026 Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame class. We're grateful to celebrate the many ways sports continue to bring our community together.

Today we're wrapping up our board spotlights by highlighting Misti Stanton Smith, President of the GRPS Foundation Board...
09/18/2026

Today we're wrapping up our board spotlights by highlighting Misti Stanton Smith, President of the GRPS Foundation Board of Directors and First Vice President of Talent and Culture at Mercantile Bank.

A true staple in the Grand Rapids community, Misti is a passionate leader, advocate, and champion for creating opportunities for the next generation. She brings that same commitment to public education to her role with the Foundation, helping guide our work and strengthen our impact across Grand Rapids.

We're incredibly grateful for Misti's leadership, her investment in our community, and her belief in the power of education to shape a stronger future.

Learn more about why public education matters to Misti and what inspired her to serve on the GRPS Foundation Board in today's Faces of the Foundation spotlight. 💙🧡

09/17/2026

Thinking about the 10K? Start here. 🦃

We put together a Couch to 10K training schedule that starts THIS Sunday, September 20, and takes you right through Thanksgiving morning.

You don’t need to be running six miles right now. The plan starts with run/walk intervals, builds a little at a time and includes plenty of recovery along the way.

Then on Thanksgiving morning, you’ll take on 6.2 miles — two loops through downtown Grand Rapids.

Save the schedule. Send it to the friend you’re talking into doing this with you. And we’ll see you at the starting line on November 26. Happy Training!

Let's talk about $2. 👀$2 might not feel like a lot.But...$2×13,000 students = $26,000That's enough to help bring more ar...
09/16/2026

Let's talk about $2. 👀

$2 might not feel like a lot.

But...

$2×13,000 students = $26,000

That's enough to help bring more art supplies into classrooms across GRPS.

This campaign isn't about one person doing something huge.

It's about all of us doing something small.

So we're asking:

Can you give $2?

Let's see what our community can create together. 🎨
https://givebutter.com/color-our-classrooms-art-supplies-for-scholars

What happens when you give students the opportunity to try something new? For more than 40 fifth graders at Kent Hills E...
09/15/2026

What happens when you give students the opportunity to try something new?

For more than 40 fifth graders at Kent Hills Elementary, a Teresa Weatherall Neal Principal’s Fund grant helped make their first overnight trip to Camp Roger possible.

Students climbed rock walls, tried archery, explored nature, took on team-building challenges, and created memories they’ll carry with them long after fifth grade.🌲

And this is exactly why these grants matter.

Have an idea that could create a meaningful experience for your students? We want to help make it possible.

📚 GRPS teachers: Apply for the Teacher Innovation Fund (TIF) to bring creative learning ideas and experiences into your classroom.

🏫 GRPS principals: Apply for the Teresa Weatherall Neal Principal’s Fund (TWNPF) for projects and experiences that enrich student learning and remove barriers.

All applications are due October 15, 2026.

Read the full Kent Hills story on our blog or a apply for a mini grant today!
https://grpsf.org/im-a-grps-employee/

Your idea could be the next story we get to tell. 💙🧡

Address

125 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Grand Rapids, MI
49503

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