A Short but Powerful Year of Exchange

2025 was a condensed season of programming—but not a small one in impact. The shorter calendar was shaped by external conditions including the government shutdown, changes to administration priorities and lost funding opportunities. Even so, in just 6 months exchanges stayed grounded in connection, care, and community-powered hospitality that felt true to Kalamazoo. Citizen diplomacy carried on in very local ways: through relationships, shared meals, and meaningful conversations that brought neighbors and visitors together.

2025 at a Glance

A quick snapshot of impact

While we planned for and organized programs for 347 participants from all over the world, in the end, we welcomed 204 participants from 68 countries, across 22 programs. 10 programs were cancelled.

Our programs contributed $386,687.06 to the local economy. Had we implemented all the programs that were on our roster, this would have added $274,082.90 more spent in our community, lost due to programs that were scheduled, organized and cancelled.

A Truly Global Community

The 204 participants came from across six continents, bringing a wide range of lived experiences into Kalamazoo’s meeting rooms, classrooms, and neighborhoods. Returning regions and new voices alike helped strengthen long-term relationships, with larger delegations from places such as Georgia, Indonesia, Lithuania, Japan, and Germany. Together, these visits reaffirmed Kalamazoo’s role as a welcoming hub for global exchange in the heart of southwest Michigan.

See our impact.

Exchange in Action

Across 22 programs, exchange in 2025 blended professional learning, cultural engagement, and community connection. Participants met with local professionals and organizations, attended community and cultural events, and had time to reflect together on what they were seeing and hearing. Alongside formal sessions, exchange also happened in everyday spaces—in meeting rooms, on buses, in kitchens, and around shared tables where conversations could deepen and friendships could begin.

Community-Powered Hospitality

Nineteen homestay recipients experienced life in Kalamazoo homes, adding up to 357 nights hosted by local families. Those stays offered a close look at daily routines, neighborhood stories, and local traditions that visitors might not otherwise see. Hosts and volunteers acted as citizen diplomats, welcoming the world into their everyday lives and turning short visits into lasting personal connections.

Community Engagement & Expertise

In 2025, 78 community and cultural events and 113 professional meetings created space for international participants and local partners to learn from one another. Leaders and staff from business, education, nonprofits, government, and arts and culture all played a part, sharing their expertise and their perspectives on local challenges and opportunities. This cross-sector engagement reflects a community that understands international exchange as part of its civic life, not something separate from it.

Measuring Impact: Dollars, Time, and Care

Total Economic Impact

In 2025, Global Ties Kalamazoo programs had $386,687.06 in combined economic and in-kind impact. This total captures the ways exchange supports Kalamazoo’s economy while also relying on the generosity and commitment of local people.

Direct Program Spending: $203,360.08

Local spending supported hotels (over $76,000), transportation providers ($64,000+) restaurants, and small businesses (nearly $63,000), showing how global connections also strengthen the local economy.

Total In-Kind Community Contributions: Valued at $183,326.98

2025 volunteer & professional time was valued at $60,604.18. It included 1,742 volunteer hours sharing professional expertise, board leadership and host family time. See other in-kind contributions broken down below.

Housing & meals provided by hosts:		Valued at
	Donated beds:	$42,840
	Donated breakfasts & dinners:	$15,708
	Home hospitality meals:	$22,176
Space & expertise:
	Meeting space:	$16,950
	Fellow in-kind hours:	$25,048.80

These contributions reflect not only what people gave, but what they believe—that exchange is worth investing time, space, and care to sustain.

Gratitude for a Community That Shows Up

The 2025 story is, above all, a story of gratitude. Host families, volunteers, professional partners, and board leaders all helped make it possible for more than 200 people from all over the world to experience Kalamazoo as a connected, welcoming community. Exchange works here because so many people believe in connection beyond borders and are willing to live out that belief in practical, everyday ways.

Looking Ahead

The year’s data reflects consistency in engagement when possible, but they miss work not reflected by the numbers.

The Global Ties Kalamazoo team used the space in this programmatic year to revisit dreams and plans that previous capacity didn’t allow. This included renewed exploration of youth development and entrepreneurship outbound exchanges, efforts to diversify income through grant applications and an end-of-year appeal to supporters, and a series of community consultations and brainstorm sessions to better understand and strengthen local impact.

The team also focused on more clearly telling the story of how exchange shows up in Kalamazoo, while beginning early planning for the return of outbound exchange opportunities in 2026.

Stay Involved

There are many ways for neighbors to be part of what comes next. Community members can support future exchanges by hosting visitors, volunteering, or partnering on programs, helping Kalamazoo continue its role as a prime location for exploring our shared humanity as a global community, where exchange is for everybody.