The holidays were in full swing on Tuesday and those in the charitable spirit gathered at Twickenham Center to celebrate. Twenty four of Huntsville’s community and business leaders announced grants at this year’s Giving Tuesday, organized by the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville Corporate Giving Network. The grants totaled more than $1 million and will help numerous causes across the Huntsville area.

“We live in such a generous community,” said Melissa Thompson, CEO of Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville. “This Giving Tuesday, members of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville Corporate Giving Network announced grants totaling $1.28 million to over 60 local nonprofit organizations. Philanthropy is simply an investment in the community you want to see, and we are grateful to partner with many amazing investors in the Greater Huntsville area.”

Many of the Community Foundation’s partners that donate money have been on the other side of charitable donations in the past and know personally how much of an impact it makes. Ginger Harper, Senior Vice President at First Horizon Bank, spoke about her partnership with the Community Foundation.

“Given our humble beginnings, we have witnessed firsthand the impact of giving back. Witnessing this as recipients and now as donors, financial generosity is at the core of who we are as a family. Our goal with our partnership with the Community Foundation is to continue to impart on Annin (her child) a deep spirit of generosity that will impact future generations.”

The Community Foundation has become a valued resource for Huntsville’s nonprofit community through grantmaking, funds to provide financial stability, and networking and professional development opportunities at NAVIGATE Nonprofit Network Conference (formerly NPUHuntsville). In addition, the Community Foundation sponsors an annual Summit on Philanthropy to celebrate local philanthropists and provide an educational forum on smart and effective philanthropy.

Through the Community Foundation in 2021 alone, 2,378 donors contributed $13,602,065 to 357 charitable funds while fund holders made 2,017 grants totaling $8,099,736 to support 604 different nonprofit organizations. And to make sure their efforts go towards improving quality of life in Huntsville’s local community, 72.4 percent of those funds stayed in the greater Huntsville area.