Jul
We are no longer taking RSVPs for this event.
Our 2025 Annual Gathering will be held on Thursday, August 7, from 4:30 - 6:30 pm, at Gypsy Distillery.
Each year, the Community Foundation invites stakeholders, partners, donors, and the community at large to come together to recognize and celebrate the impactful philanthropic work of the past year.
This year's Annual Gathering will take place at Gypsy Distillery. The event is free of charge and all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to join us at 4:30 pm for mingling, live music with Charlie Millard, appetizers, and refreshments. A program including guest speaker Mike Goorhouse will begin at 5:30 pm.
This Year's Gathering: Here for Good
Over the past year, the Community Foundation has granted $7 million to support the people and places of Emmet County. From school programs and health services to protecting the environment and supporting arts and culture, this work touches all of us in different ways—and it's only possible thanks to strong local partnerships. Together, we're meeting needs now and building lasting solutions for the future. This is what it means to be here for good.
As funding sources shift and community needs grow, the role of local philanthropy has never been more important. The Community Foundation remains a steady partner—working alongside nonprofits, donors, and neighbors to keep good work going.
Join us for our 2025 Annual Gathering—a night to celebrate what we've accomplished together, and a look ahead to all that’s possible.
Guest Speaker: Mike Goorhouse
Mike Goorhouse is Founder and Lead Consultant at Inspiring Impact, LLC, a firm dedicated to helping nonprofit and philanthropic organizations effectively inspire change in their community. He has spent his entire career in philanthropy including serving on the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area’s (CFHZ’s) Youth Advisory Council, working with Family Foundations, Community Foundations and Youth Grantmakers while at the Council of Michigan Foundations and serving as President/CEO at CFHZ for 10 years.
Mike’s most notable accomplishments during his time at CFHZ include successfully completing a $35 million unrestricted endowment campaign which included 100 new estate gift commitments and launching a multi-sector collaborative effort to significantly improve the affordability of local housing options. During his leadership, CFHZ tripled its assets from $40 million to $120 million, grew annual gifts from $5 million to $20 million and expanded its community impact strategies to include significant investments in strengthening the local nonprofit sector, impact investing and an equity focused grantmaking strategy.