The Battle Creek Community Foundation is a public foundation built by generous residents who have donated their time, talent and treasure to make Battle Creek a better place to live. It was founded in 1974 by Leonard White, Robert B. Miller, and Harry Davidson. Their goal was to create a way for people of all means to be able to give back to their community. Over the years, the Community Foundation has received gifts from individuals, corporations and organizations. These gifts are placed in endowment funds, and these funds are then invested to generate earnings. The Community Foundation uses these earnings to distribute grants to a variety of nonprofit programs, organizations and other community-oriented charitable efforts that benefit Battle Creek residents. Funds are also created to provide scholarships to local students. The Community Foundation also provides community leadership by bringing diverse groups of individuals and organizations together to develop community-wide solutions for problems and issues. A volunteer board of local leaders, representing the interests of the Battle Creek community, governs the Community Foundation’s administration and distribution of funds. The generosity of donors, the vision of our Board of Trustees, and the dedication of our many volunteers and professional staff are what enable the Community Foundation to continually respond to the changing needs of our community.
