The Grandville Walker Foundation: Neighbors Who Fund Change

Want to see how small grants make big things happen? We sit down with Teresa from the Grandville Walker Foundation to unpack a simple, powerful model for local impact in Walker and Grandville. From funding a refrigerator that expands Senior Neighbors’ capacity at the Walker Center to backing a music garden near the library and exploring support for a Johnson Park-connected bike trail, these $500–$2,500 grants deliver real results you can visit, use, and feel.

We walk through exactly how the foundation works: two grant cycles per year, a clear focus on projects that directly benefit residents in Walker or Grandville, and a practical approach that helps nonprofits close funding gaps and get to “done.” Teresa shares what the board looks for—impact on a larger number of people, readiness to execute, and alignment with improving quality of life—and why early applications help the board collaborate with applicants and strengthen proposals. If you’re leading a local nonprofit or community initiative, you’ll get concrete guidance on preparing to apply and timing your request for the spring window.

We also talk funding and growth: how small donations, legacy gifts, and community fundraisers like a new 50/50 raffle fuel the foundation’s work, and why no gift is too small. Teresa opens up about her motivation to serve, the board’s low time commitment, and the skills that can make a difference right now—marketing, legal, outreach, and simple willingness to show up. Along the way, we highlight the power of placemaking: trails, parks, and gathering spaces that knit neighborhoods together and make daily life better.

If you care about local change, this conversation offers a roadmap. Learn where your project fits, how to give in a way that matters, and what it feels like to hand a check to neighbors doing vital work. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves community, and email us your thoughts or project ideas at podcast@walker.city.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

Transcript

Meet the Grandville Walker Foundation

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Welcome to Maiden Walker, a podcast that connects you to the people, the stories, and the ideas shaping our community. From local innovators to everyday change makers, we're diving deep into what makes Walker a great place to live, work, and grow. Here's your host, Nicole DiDonato.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Did you know that the communities of Walker and Grandville have a combined community foundation, and they're doing great things in both of those cities? I am here with Teresa, who is part of the Grandville Walker Foundation board. Thank you so much for being here today. Thanks for inviting us. Yes, yeah, and I also want to kind of preface that I am on the board as well, very new member, but more of the city liaison for the city of Walker. You are part of the city of Granville. And tell us kind of what you do for the city there.

SPEAKER_02 0:55

For the city, I work for the Downtown Development Authority. So I've been with the city a little over 11 years, but um was asked to join the Granville Walker Foundation a couple of years ago. Um newer member, I think I've been on about a year and a half now. Um and it connects in many ways to the role and just to the love that I have for Granville and our neighboring cities where we all live and work and grow.

How Grants Work and Who Qualifies

SPEAKER_01 1:19

Yes, yes, wonderful. And the foundation's been around since about 2016. And tell us how it typically works for this foundation.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

So we have, I believe, five members of the foundation. Um we spend the year with a basically a monthly meeting, um, and then we fundraise in different capacities, and then we do do two rounds of grant um applications. So in the spring and then again in the fall for area nonprofits, area placemaking, anything that's going to improve life for the residents and citizens that live in Granville and Walker.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yeah, and it's a wonderful, um, you know, wonderful mission that it has, and love that it's very super local as well for the residents. What are some of the nonprofits that have been uh benefited from these grants over the years?

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Well, since I have been here, I know that we have given a grant to Hand to Hand, which does the food for the kids in the schools, the Humane Society, and Senior Neighbors, I believe, has gotten a grant or two. We did in Granville a placemaking project with a music garden outside of our library. And so the Grandville Walker Foundation has their name on that donor board. Um, and Meals on Wheels, I believe we've also done a grant for. And I'm sure that since 2016 they've done many other organizations, but those are the ones that are fresh in my mind.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Yes. And for folks, maybe if they haven't um, you know, for nonprofits, haven't heard much about this, where do they usually can find information when it comes to this?

SPEAKER_02 2:52

Well, uh, Granville Walker Foundation actually has a website and an online presence. So if you just Google Granville Walker Foundation, um, you should find the application there if you would like to apply. We're in our current fall round of applications. Those will be winding up here soon. But then we also do a spring round of applications.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

And elaborate a little bit more for nonprofits who may be interested or just wondering if the project I have is worthy of a grant. What typically does the board look for when it comes to qualifications?

Recent Projects and Placemaking

SPEAKER_02 3:21

Um the board is going to look for that your actual business, nonprofit, or whatever it is that you're doing lands in Walker or Granville first and foremost. And then that it affects a larger number of people. We don't give grants to individuals, um, that it improves the quality of life in one way or another for the residents of Granville or Walker. And our typical grants that we give are between 500 and 2,500. So we're not giving$50,000 grants out. Um, but when you're on a project and you're looking for five or ten thousand, a$1,500 or$2,000 grant can really help get you to that level that you need to be at.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

Yeah, and I think specifically just recently, um, senior neighbors they had uh received a grant for a refrigerator that's just able to house, you know, more supplies for the folks that they uh that they care for, and that is in the the Walker Center as well. So great.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

I think one of them currently that we're looking at is the new bike trail. Oh, yeah. Um, connected to Johnson Park. Yeah. Um, so I don't know a lot of specifics with that, but I did see that one come through. So it doesn't always have to be like a brick and mortar nonprofit, it can also be placemaking in either Walker or Granville and areas for people to be able to gather and enjoy community.

How the Money Comes In

SPEAKER_01 4:37

And how does the money and it come into the foundation? And this is uh something that we're trying to grow as an investment and such.

Fundraisers, 50/50 Raffle, And Growth

Why Serve: Personal Motivation

SPEAKER_02 4:44

Yep. So um we take all amounts of donations. There's no donation that is too small, and you can give right on the website. Um, we also accept legacy gifts. And so if you have lived your entire life in Granville or Walker and you don't have somewhere else to give that money, um this if you give it to the Walker Foundation, Granville Walker Foundation, it will be used to continue to improve the quality of life in both of those towns. And then as a board, we do a lot of fundraisers throughout the year. So um smaller fundraisers, larger fundraisers. We just started this last year. We connected with the city of Granville on their 4th of July festivities and started a 50-50 raffle. So it was our first year for the 50-50 raffle. 50% of the winnings went to or the the money raised went to the raffle ticket winner that was drawn. And then we split the additional 50% with the city of Granville to offset costs for the 4th of July celebration and then with the foundation. So this year I think we raised around 6,000 total in ticket sales, um, which is not bad for a first year, and we hope to grow that. And we are always looking for new members of the board, volunteers for the fundraising. Sometimes it's just getting the right number of people out there selling or promoting to increase those numbers and be able to make an impact. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

And you were mentioning specifically why you joined the board. Why was it so um, you know, so important to be part of this initiative and to even help it grow?

SPEAKER_02 6:11

I love Granville. I we have raised our family here. Um we moved into Granville when we were pregnant with our first child, and he is now um 22, and it's just a really good place to live and grow a family. There's strong schools, strong parks, strong community events. Um, and the municipalities work really, really well together. And Walker being so closely connected with us. So as our children started graduating from high school and I had a little bit more time and wanted to join a board, this felt like one that connects with what I already do. I already give so much of who I am in my profession for this city to grow it. And so if I'm gonna be on a board, um, I just kind of wanted to carry that through.

Time Commitment and Skills Needed

SPEAKER_01 6:56

Yes. And for you know, someone who may be thinking about wanting to make an impact, whether they need whether they're residents of uh Granville or Walker, what is the time commitment for serving on this board?

SPEAKER_02 7:07

It's low. So if you need to be on a board, please come join us because we are a really fun group.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

Yeah.

The Joy of Giving Locally

SPEAKER_02 7:13

We basically meet once a month, um, usually Thursday mornings from eight until nine, the meetings are an hour. Um, but I believe we take December off, and I don't think we meet um in July. So it's about 10 times a year that we have a meeting and then the fundraising opportunities, which generally, except for the 4th of July, um, a couple of board members may go and you know sell balloons at an event or um do something small at another event. So yeah, if you're looking for a board to join, we would love a legal presence, a marketing individual. Um we have quite a few financial, but there's so many different gifts people can bring to a board. And just having more than five members, um it expands the amount of fundraising we can do and um just getting the word out there that we actually do exist because we're a smaller board, a newer board. I think a lot of people don't know, but it is not unusual for cities to have these foundations um to give back and grow their communities. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

And how has it uh felt for you in the the you know the the short time that you've been on it so far? Seeing the impact, seeing these organizations, receiving these grants. What has that been like?

SPEAKER_02 8:22

I've enjoyed it. It's really good when you can show up at a nonprofit and have a check for$2,000 and thank them for the work that they are doing on a daily basis in our communities. And I think it just helps people feel like there's other people in this with you and we care and we want you to succeed. Yeah, it's a very feel-good board to be on.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

It is like you said, low commitment, but you know, looking for doers, looking for folks with all kinds of diverse background who love their communities of Walker in Granville and seeing what they can do to kind of bring it to the next level. So we wanted to um go over again how folks, if they want to either apply for grant or donate, where all can they do that at?

How to Apply or Donate

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Um Google Granville Walker Foundation. There is a website. Um I'm remiss in not knowing which other social media platforms we actually have, but I know that there is a tab right on the website where you can donate. And the application for the grants are also on there. So as I said, we're finishing up our fall round of grant applications. But if you are interested, um look for that in the spring. I would get on in January, February, look for the application, get it submitted. That gives us time if we have any questions to follow up and circle back around and help people if they might be missing things on that.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Yeah, Teresa, love your passion, your excitement for this. Uh, of course, no project is too small for for an impact like this and for that.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

So no donation. Yeah. I always think, man, if everybody gave$5, imagine where that would go. And I think so often we think, well, that's not enough, so I won't do anything. Um, but even small amounts or um always looking for volunteers too. So even if you say I don't want the commitment of joining a board, but if you have a fundraiser coming up or you have an activity and you need um extra hands, um, we would love to start collecting a list of people who would like to be involved even on that smaller scale to make a difference. That's a great point.

Small Gifts, Big Impact

SPEAKER_01 10:18

So thank you so much for your time and explaining uh what all Grandville Walker does for both of these wonderful communities. So we certainly do appreciate it, Teresa. Thanks. Thank you for having me. Of course, and thank you for tuning in as well.

Closing and Listener Feedback

SPEAKER_00 10:32

Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Maiden Walker Podcast. If you have comments or questions about this podcast, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, we'd love to hear from you. Please drop us an email at podcast at walker.city. Maiden Walker is the official podcast of the city of Walker, Michigan. You can find Maiden Walker wherever you get your podcasts.