… and we need your help.
In December of last year, we were awarded a $10,000 grant for arts education from the National Endowment for the Arts. In early May, hours after President Trump proposed eliminating the NEA entirely, that funding was withdrawn.
The immediate impact was significant: staff time spent on the application process, a budget that relied on this funding, and plans to invest in community programs — all lost in an instant.
In the face of this setback, we are deeply grateful to live in a community that values the arts AND has the resources to help bridge this gap. Upon hearing about our loss, the Barry Community Foundation stepped forward with a generous offer: a $5,000 matching grant to help us recover the lost funding.
Here’s how it works:
For every dollar you donate, the Barry Community Foundation will match it — dollar for dollar — up to $5,000. This means your $10 becomes $20, $50 becomes $100, and so on. But we need to raise that $5,000 to unlock the full match.
We are profoundly thankful for support of the foundation and wish such measures weren’t necessary. If you are able, please contribute to help us recoup this loss and continue our mission to support arts education in our community.
The Thornapple Arts Council is a registered 501(c)(3).