# Grand Haven Area Community Foundation

Grand Haven Area Community Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Grand Haven, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Grand Haven, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Grand Haven, MI, United States
- **Founded:** 1971
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.ghacf.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/grand-haven-area-community-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation was established to serve the Northwest Ottawa and Tri-Cities area of Michigan. President Hadley Streng oversees the organization, with Keith Konarska serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees. The foundation pools charitable capital into a permanent endowment, with grantmaking focused on arts, culture, education, and community betterment. The foundation's investment posture blends traditional grantmaking with direct community investments. Its asset deployment includes an Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund active in Ottawa County and a direct investment commitment to Michigan Community Capital. These vehicles target the local real estate and community infrastructure sectors. The foundation also accepts cryptocurrency donations, signaling a flexible approach to asset sourcing. Its collaborative work with the Grand Haven Schools Foundation further directs capital into regional educational initiatives. A key figure in shaping the foundation's investment discipline is Lynne Sherwood, a former Vice President at Goldman Sachs, who previously chaired the Investment Committee. The foundation is accredited by Community Foundations National Standards and participates in the Council on Foundations' CF Insights benchmarking group. Its headquarters occupies a repurposed former water filtration facility on Sherman Avenue in Grand Haven. Structurally, the foundation maintains affiliated geographic arms — the Allendale Community Foundation and the Coopersville Area Community Foundation — extending its footprint within Ottawa County. This hub-and-spoke architecture, combined with a permanent endowment and a revolving loan fund, differentiates it from purely grantmaking philanthropies.

## Sectors

- Real Estate
- Education
- Healthcare Services

## People

- Hadley Streng — President
- Keith Konarska — Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Lynne Sherwood — Former Investment Committee Chair

## Questions

### Who sets the investment strategy at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation?

The foundation's Investment Committee is responsible for overseeing the permanent endowment. Lynne Sherwood, a former Vice President at Goldman Sachs, previously served as the committee's chair, bringing institutional discipline to the foundation's capital deployment. Day-to-day executive leadership is provided by President Hadley Streng.

### Does the foundation make direct investments or only grants?

The foundation engages in both direct community investments and traditional grantmaking. Documented direct investments include an Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund serving Ottawa County and a commitment to Michigan Community Capital, a public-private investment vehicle. Its grantmaking spans arts, culture, education, and health services.

### How is the foundation related to the Allendale and Coopersville community foundations?

The Allendale Community Foundation and the Coopersville Area Community Foundation operate as affiliated geographic arms of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. This structure extends the foundation's philanthropic reach across multiple municipalities within Ottawa County, Michigan.

### What is the foundation's approach to donor asset types?

The foundation accepts a range of assets to build its permanent endowment, including cryptocurrency donations. This signals a willingness to accommodate modern donor preferences alongside traditional cash and securities contributions.

### Which sectors receive the most capital from the foundation?

Capital flows primarily into real estate and community infrastructure through its Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund, as well as into education through partnerships like the Grand Haven Schools Foundation. Grantmaking additionally targets arts and culture, health, and human services.

## Related profiles

- [Grand Challenges Canada](https://altss.com/profile/grand-challenges-canada)
- [Grand River Hospital Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/grand-river-hospital-foundation)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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