Matthew Downey, program director of nonprofit services at Grand Valley State University’s Johnson Center for Philanthropy, was awarded the Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year award by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) of Greater Grand Rapids.
Downey was given the award at the organization’s leadership awards event on November 3.
Downey thanked the group and said he was a “nonprofit for life” person, and was honored to receive the award.
Miles Wilson, director of Philanthropic and Nonprofit Services, said, “I’ve known Matthew Downey for three years now as a colleague and a leader in the West Michigan Nonprofit community. I truly can’t think of a more hardworking and deserving person to receive the Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year Award. His dedication to supporting the capacity of regional nonprofits to achieve their worthy goals embodies the definition of commitment, service, and community building.”
YNPN said the Professional of the Year award goes to someone “who excels in their work, always goes above and beyond for their cause, is always looking for a new way to make a nonprofit service better, and is an overall fabulous young professional.”
Downey has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit field.
