Founded in 1914 by the Grand Rapids Board of Education, Grand Rapids Community College is the oldest community college in Michigan. The athletic program is affiliated with the NJCAA, but the football team does not compete in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association as other GRCC sports do. GRCC is the home of the Raiders, who play home games at Houseman Field.
The GRCC Raiders were named the NJCAA nonscholarship team national champions in 2005 and 2009 with regular-season win-loss records of 9-1 and 9-2, respectively. GRCC has played in several bowl games, dating to the 1956 NJCAA Championship Bowl, where it lost to Coffeyville Junior College from Kansas.
GRCC has produced two former NFL players. Bob Lurtsema played for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks from 1967 to 1977, and Carl Powell played for the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals from 1997 to 2005.
GRCC's football program belongs to the Midwest Football Conference (MFC). GRCC is a member of the East Division along with College of DuPage, Harper College and Joliet Junior College, all from Illinois. The West Division consists of North Dakota State College of Science, Ellsworth Community College in Iowa, Iowa Central Community College and Iowa Western Community College. GRCC generally plays two nonconference opponents each season.