Nature-based early childhood program is among recipients of Community Impact grants

A new Duneside Discovery Center planned at Mary A. White Elementary School in Grand Haven will bring nature-based early childhood education to hundreds of local families, offering outdoor classrooms, trails, and restored dunes and meadows designed to serve learning and community activities.

Modeled after the Outdoor Discovery Center’s (ODC) successful programs elsewhere in West Michigan, the site will add 200 preschool spots and dedicate at least half of its programs to children from low-income families and those with disabilities.

The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation is supporting the project with a $250,000 grant, part of nearly $650,000 in Community Impact grants the foundation awarded this year to improve education and family well-being across northwest Ottawa County. Other grants target food insecurity, education, and housing issues.

“Supporting the ODC Network’s mission is important on a number of levels,” says Hadley Streng, GHACF president. “It promotes inclusivity, addresses a critical need for early childhood education and development, helps address barriers to childcare availability in our area, and provides our youth with nature’s many benefits, including improved physical and mental health.” 

The benefits go far beyond education, she adds.

“This initiative benefits not only education in partnership with one of our local school districts, but also our economy and ecology. We are honored to assist in making such a significant impact on the community.” 

The ODC is partnering with Grand Haven Area Public Schools in the transformation of Mary A. White into a nature-based early childhood education center. The grant will support the creation of nature playscapes, interactive outdoor learning environments, trails, landscaping, and habitat restoration efforts such as dune and meadow revitalization, native landscaping, and tree planting. In addition, many outdoor areas will be designed for public access to benefit the wider community.

John Vincent, ODC Network chief of early childhood education, says his organization is “ thrilled to bring this model to northern Ottawa County and expand opportunities for children and families.”

“We have seen firsthand how nature-based early childhood education transforms children’s development and supports the well-being of teachers,” he says. “By connecting lessons to children’s natural curiosity, they gain stronger self-regulation, deeper engagement in math, science, and literacy, and a lifelong love for learning.” 

“We are incredibly grateful for this partnership with the ODC Network and the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation,” says Grand Haven Schools Superintendent Kristin Perkowski. “This project helps meet a growing need in our community for enhanced and expanded early learning opportunities, ensuring more children have access to a strong start.” 

Additional Community Impact grants include: 

Hand2Hand – Packing with Purpose: Facility upgrades to provide weekend meals ($31,000). 

Hand2Hand addresses food insecurity and supports children and families across the region by packing and delivering nutritious meals to students in need over the weekends and on extended school breaks. The organization received a $31,000 grant for facility upgrades to accommodate its growth. 

Planned improvements include installation of a roof access ladder, climate control upgrades to ensure proper food storage, durable new flooring in the packing room, and updates to the welcome area to enhance security and accessibility for visitors and volunteers. 

Tri-Cities Family YMCA –  Preschool classroom renovation and program expansion ($63,000). 

This grant was awarded to the Tri-Cities Family YMCA to aid the expansion of its Learning Tree Preschool program at its West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics location, helping the Y add a classroom and 18 Great Start Readiness Program spots. 

This expansion aims to address the need for quality childcare and early childhood education in Northwest Ottawa County, specifically north of the bridge. The goal is to offer tuition assistance, increase access for families across all socioeconomic backgrounds, reduce achievement gaps, and promote educational equity. 

Spring Lake Public Schools – Professional learning communities ($73,290). 

This grant supports the implementation and expansion of professional learning communities (PLCs) across the district. PLCs empower educators to shift from working in isolation to engaging in structured, collaborative efforts. 

This approach supports a focus on student learning, data-informed decision making, and continuous instructional improvement. The multi-year initiative aims to build a system of collaboration that ensures high levels of learning, fosters a thriving educational community, and improves teacher support and retention districtwide.

Lakeshore Advantage Foundation – Ottawa County Housing ($225,000 over 3 years). 

Housing Next launched in 2017 to address access to affordable housing in Ottawa County. With this grant, Lakeshore  Advantage will integrate Housing Next’s work into its existing economic development framework with a new staff position dedicated to that effort. 

A grant of $225,000 over three years (up to $75,000 per year) will fund the hiring of a community development director focused exclusively on housing in Ottawa County.