Gilda's Club Grand Rapids

What Gilda's Club Grand Rapids does

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded on February 15, 2001, that delivers free emotional healthcare to children, adults, families, and friends affected by cancer or grief from any cause. The organization is an independent affiliate of the Cancer Support Community (CSC) global network of 50+ affiliates and 196 satellite locations. It operates two physical clubhouses, a main clubhouse in Grand Rapids housed in an 1848 renovated farmhouse with a reconstructed barn on six pastoral acres, and a satellite location in Lowell, Michigan, sharing space with First Congregational UCC of Lowell and Senior Neighbors. Programs include cancer-specific and grief-specific support groups, educational workshops, mindfulness and wellness activities, youth programming (Noogieland, Kids Support, Teen and Tween Support), Camp Sparkle, school partnerships across 37 West Michigan schools, and Spanish-language offerings, all facilitated by licensed master's-level professionals.

The core service model is a freemium community-clubhouse concept in which members enroll through a simple intake process (self-referral, healthcare provider referral, or community outreach) and access in-person, virtual, or hybrid programming at no cost. Technology infrastructure is intentionally minimal: a content website (gildasclubgr.org), a Gnosis Hosting member portal for registration and donations, and standard web tooling. There is no proprietary AI or platform layer; the value proposition rests on human facilitation, peer community, and physical gathering space.

Gilda's Club is funded entirely through diversified philanthropic revenue streams: individual donations, a Pillar Partner corporate program, a tiered Red Door Gala sponsorship stack, signature fundraising events (LaughFest, West Side Walk, Gilda's Club Open, The Gilda's 9, Halloween NoogieFest, Camp Sparkle), planned giving and the Legacy Circle, and tribute/memorial gifts. The 2026 Red Door Gala marks the organization's 25th anniversary, with Van Andel Family Foundation as presenting sponsor and Meijer, LMCU, New York Life, and Peter Cook Foundation as Lead/Pillar Partners. Distribution is direct to consumers across West Michigan, with no commercial resale or licensing.

Name

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids

Legal name

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids

Website

https://gildasclubgr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free emotional healthcare, including support groups, youth programs, and grief services, to children, adults, and families across West Michigan affected by cancer or death from any cause.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer and Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Grief counseling services
• Youth bereavement programs
• Psychosocial oncology support
• Community emotional health

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals who support the organization's mission of providing free cancer and grief support services.
2. Special Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from signature events including Red Door Gala, Gilda's Club Open, West Side Walk, and other community fundraising events with corporate sponsorships.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Pillar Partner program where companies invest philanthropically across grief and cancer programs and fundraising events throughout the year.
4. Planned Giving & Legacy Circle: Bequests from wills or trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and beneficiary designations from 401K/IRA plans or insurance policies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free emotional and social healthcare services to individuals, families, and children impacted by cancer or grief. The organization operates a clubhouse model offering support groups, educational workshops, social activities, and youth-focused programs (Noogieland and Camp Sparkle) at no cost to participants.

Product overview

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is a nonprofit organization providing free emotional healthcare to children, adults, families, and friends affected by cancer or grief. The organization operates as a unified support platform with multiple program offerings including Cancer Support Programs and Grief Support Programs as core services, augmented by specialized Youth Programs (Noogieland), Camp Sparkle, educational workshops, and facilitated support groups. The organization also hosts signature fundraising events including the Red Door Gala, Gilda's LaughFest, West Side Walk, and Gilda's Club Open. All services are delivered at no cost to members, supported through donations and fundraising activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Halloween NoogieFest: Annual free Halloween spooktacular event for children and families featuring games, activities, and entertainment.
• Red Door Gala
• Gilda's LaughFest
• Camp Sparkle
• Gilda's Club Open
• Gilda's 9
• West Side Walk for Gilda's
• Noogieland
• Legacy Circle

Products and services

• Adult Cancer Support Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,866 program visits in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Grand Valley State University (GVSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGVSU film students Lillian Reiner and Pacience Lapp created a virtual tour video for Gilda's Club as recipients of the Chuck Peterson Memorial Film and Video Fellowship. The video was created in collaboration with mentorship from GRTV, applying student skills in a real-world setting while producing meaningful content for the community. GVSU's Producing for a Client course has also collaborated on video projects.
• Cancer Support CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGilda's Club Grand Rapids is an independent affiliate of the Cancer Support Community (CSC), a global nonprofit network. In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club Worldwide joined forces to become CSC. Gilda's Club benefits from CSC's research, best practices, and national resources while maintaining local operational independence.
• Kent Country ClubsecondaryOthersKent Country Club hosts the annual Gilda's Club Open golf event on June 22, 2026, providing venue support for this signature fundraising event.
• Grand Rapids SymphonyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrand Rapids Symphony is a community partner for Camp Sparkle, contributing musical activities to the annual summer day camp for children impacted by cancer or grief.
• Grand Rapids Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrand Rapids Public Library is a community partner for Camp Sparkle, providing programming support for the annual summer day camp.
• First Congregational UCC of LowellminorOthersFirst Congregational UCC of Lowell provides space for the Lowell Clubhouse location, which is shared with Senior Neighbors.
• Senior NeighborsminorOthersSenior Neighbors shares space with the Lowell Clubhouse location, providing collaborative use of the facility.
• Critchlow Alligator SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritchlow Alligator Sanctuary provides live animals (alligator, bearded dragon, tarantula, snake, scorpion) for the Halloween NoogieFest community event, creating educational wildlife encounters for children and families.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): Large national nonprofit providing free support groups, education, and advocacy for mental health conditions. Comparable free peer-support group delivery model though broader mission than cancer/grief specific.
• Elephantastic Foundation / The TEARS Foundation: Smaller nonprofits providing grief support services to bereaved families. Partial overlap with Gilda's Club's grief support mission though narrower scope on bereavement only.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Large national nonprofit addressing cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient support, including Road to Recovery and Hope Lodge. Overlaps with Gilda's Club on cancer patient support but operates at a much larger scale and broader scope.
• LIVESTRONG (part of Demand Media / formerly Lance Armstrong Foundation): Established cancer survivorship nonprofit providing direct services, navigation, and resources to cancer survivors. Comparable mission of supporting those impacted by cancer, with broader national footprint and brand recognition.

Regional players

• Hospice of Michigan: Michigan-based nonprofit hospice provider offering grief support services including individual counseling and bereavement groups. Same Michigan geography, overlapping grief support mission though focused on end-of-life care.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities West Michigan: Local Michigan nonprofit providing lodging and family-centered support services for families with children receiving medical care. Comparable community-based, nonprofit, free-of-charge support model in West Michigan for medical-impacted families.

Direct peers

• Cancer Support Community: Parent global nonprofit network to which Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is an independent affiliate. Operates the same psychosocial oncology model and shares research, best practices, and branding across 50+ affiliates.
• CancerCare: National nonprofit offering free professional support services and resources to anyone impacted by cancer, including counseling, support groups, and financial assistance. Direct mission overlap in free cancer-related psychosocial support.
• Gilda's Club New York City: The flagship and namesake Gilda's Club, providing the same free cancer and grief support clubhouse model. Sister affiliate under CSC, directly comparable mission, program structure, and donor model.
• Camp Kesem: National nonprofit running free summer camps and support programs for children affected by a parent's cancer. Highly comparable youth-focused psychosocial programming model to Gilda's Club's Noogieland and Camp Sparkle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSx7dV2hdPgpbDKZhe9VCpA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/gildasclubgr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gilda's-club-grand-rapids
• Instagraminstagram.com/gildasclubgr
• Xx.com/Gildas_Club_GR

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gilda's Club Grand Rapids