The DSAWM Foundation

The Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan Foundation (DSAWMF) was established to provide a permanent source of principal, so that funds would be available in the future to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the West Michigan communities in which they live, work, and play. DSAWMF is a separate not-for-profit organization from the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan (DSAWM), funded by cash, securities and other assets, and helps to fund the vital programs, supports and services provided by DSAWM.

Our Mission

The Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support for organizations that support and serve the Down syndrome community and their families across West Michigan.

Our Vision

We aim to grow our endowment to support the annual operating budget of the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan and enable the Association to be fully self-sustaining while also supporting other organizations that consistently and actively serve the Down syndrome population. 

Our Values

• Stewardship– Our deepest responsibility is to use all of our resources for mission impact. We deploy the Foundation’s resources in a responsible manner and seek to maximize our relevance, credibility, and effectiveness.
• Sustainability– We feel it is our duty to manage our resources to maintain financial capacity over time, so that we can perpetuate the organization to serve the community indefinitely.
• Transparency- We want our donors and the public to hold us accountable by building trust-based philanthropic relationships. This means making efforts to share more information with our donors and the communities we serve.