2006 Promising Projects — Strengthening Philanthropy

Char-Em United Way received a challenge grant to broaden their donor base and engage major local employers. The challenge grant, coupled with the efforts a committed volunteer corps, is expected to lead to heightened community awareness of the Char-Em United Way and ultimately increase the resources available to serve the area's most vulnerable families.

Grand Valley State University's Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership received a challenge grant to establish the nation's first endowed chair focused on family philanthropy. This chair is expected to lead to a pioneering focus and program of study on family foundations and how they are led and managed to help society.

A distinguished scholar-practitioner will be selected as the new Frey Foundation chair and will take the lead on this innovative program, which will research family foundation formation and grantmaking practices, and teach effective operating techniques to family foundation trustees.