Leadership
	Albion Community Foundation Stimulating public/private partnership We have taken leadership roles in covening a local college access group, a public/private partnership to rehab the community's historic movie theatre and in facilitating discussions around a youth led racial healing program. Allegan County Community Foundation Convener for community discussions Our foundation has many different collaborative programs. Current programs include: assisting Allegan County food pantries to share resources, West Michigan Cultural Trails, keep your ArtsAlive!, and MCAN. Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Serving as a neutral partner, bringing diverse groups together to solve common problems Our Foundation played an instrumental role in coordinating the activities of several public and private entities that fund human services in our county. Barry Community Foundation Convener for community discussions In March, we moved into an old church downtown Hastings. BCF started discussion about facilitating a Community Enrichment Center for area nonprofits to better serve our residents by having many agencies in one place. We will focus a great deal on this opportunity over the next year as we have started negotiations on purchasing the building. Battle Creek Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies The Arts and Culture Sector of our community has been hit hard by the current economic state and cuts to state funding. Many organizations have had to make difficult decisions and find them struggling to keep their doors open. Our Foundation has assisted them with providing technical assistance as well as some emergency funding for these situations. Bay Area Community Foundation Catalyst for needed change Bay Area Community Foundation has led the way for change in the community's beliefs concerning a college education. Previously, many believed college was a luxury. However, the message now clearly states, a college education is a necessity. This cultural change will result in greater economic impact by having an educated workforce. Bay Commitment, a multi-faceted local college access network, was formed through the collaborative activities of BACF, business and education leaders. Their efforts resulted in the implementation of a unique program designed to assist first-generation and under-served students overcome barriers to obtaining education beyond high school and ultimately a bachelor's degree. Branch County Community Foundation Stimulating public/private partnership The Community Foundation partnered with Michigan Works to provide low-income participants with the tools for financial literacy. Cadillac Area Community Foundation Convener for community discussions Establishing an "Imagine Cadillac" committee for the purpose of creating a Recreation plan for the city and surrounding area. Canton Area Community Foundation Convener for community discussions We funded a feasibility study to assess the number of Canton area residents that found free or charitable care from local healthcare systems. Capital Region Community Foundation Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs In 2011, the CRCF applied for and secured a $942,000 three year Kellogg Foundation Grant in partnership with MSU Outreach and Engagement and the Ingham County Power of We Consortium, to several neighborhood parent leadership groups in a "Birth to Work" 0-8 child service system equity improvement initiative with the goal of increasing ownership, access, and removing policy barriers to child services. It is hoped that through engaging the residents in a co-development strategic doing process that new leadership will emerge to affect public policy and improve services for children aged 0-8. Charlevoix County Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies Worked with individual donor advisors to procure additional funding for urgent needs (home heating assistance, food pantry support, etc.). Community Foundation for Muskegon County Involvement in community planning for the future CFMC provides leadership by serving on several Executive, Steering and Advisory Committees that are essential in setting the vision for a thriving future community. These activities include work in Downtown Revitalization, College Access Network, Strengthening the Non-Profit Community, etc. Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs We are acting as the fiduciary on two major issues: homelessness and the environment. We have worked with other community leaders in both of these areas and found that we could act as the fiduciary to bring in large grants from outside the area. Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs 1. Community Foundation staff convene and participate in several collaboratives that collectively approach regional and statewide issues. This includes the Detroit Neighborhood Forum, Partners in Nursing, Cultural Data Project advisory committee, Detroit Greenways Coalition and other similar groups. 2. The CFSEM Youth Advisory Committee has been substantially changed over the last year to focus on the goal of increasing the number, quality and diversity of young leaders in southeast Michigan. 3. CFSEM staff is regularly called on by CMF to lead statewide efforts, participate in addressing public policy issues, and plan and facilitate conference sessions on a variety of topics. 4. In 2010-2011, the Community Foundation partnered with the Max and Marjorie Fisher Family Foundation to offer the Emergency Food and Shelter Challenge, a special program that helped emergency food and shelter organizations raise individual support for services. The Challenge included a series of workshops to help emergency food and shelter organizations increase their institutional capacity to raise funds, recruit volunteers and expand resources. Community Foundation of Greater Flint Serving as neutral partner, bringing diverse groups together to solve common problems We are the fiscal sponsor and convener for the Out of School Youth Initiative, a community collaboration designed to bring diverse stakeholders together to more effectively improve the life chances of Genesee County's most vulnerable youth. Community Foundation of Monroe County Involvement in community planning for the future River Raisin Heritage Trail connecting downtown to Sterling State Park. Community Foundation of St. Clair County Involvement in community planning for the future Through direct staff leadership and support along with some discretionary seed money, our Community Foundation was able to bring more key stakeholders and partners to the table and was a driving force in the creation of a regional community and economic development strategic plan and continue to play a leadership role in the next phase of the plan's implementation. Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs Our Foundation was able to secure significant grant from the Kellogg Foundation to fund a program launched by its Board of CFHZ in 2008. The Ready for School program has received recognition for its community support from all sectors and is now its own 501(c)3 organization that is having a significant impact on the 0 to 5 age group by preparing them to succeed. Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula Providing technical assistance to nonprofits We provide back room administrative support to 9 affiliates and 8 independent foundations through our Hub operation, which reduces everyone's administrative costs. Dickinson Area Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Four County Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies The Foundation has increased its funding for emergency needs in our communities, including food, clothing and shelter assistance. We also partnered with Fair Food Network to participate in the Double Up Bucks Program to give families double their fresh locally grown produce at local farmers markets. It benefits both families eligible for Bridge Card food benefits to receive an increase in nutritious food and local farmers to increase their sales at local markets. Frankenmuth Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Fremont Area Community Foundation Convener for community discussions College access. In 2010 FACF received a college access planning grant from MNA. The program department convened the area schools to help with planning as will as attending MI College Access Network meetings. FACF helped start the Newaygo County College Access Network. FACF was able to secure 3 college advisors that will be working out of the area schools in the 2011-2012 school year. Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Convener for community discussions The Community Foundation took a lead in bringing together partners around the issue of college access. This included leadership from the area schools, the Intermediate School District, community organizations, local government officials, and local colleges. From these meetings, we have developed the Tri-Cities College Access Network. We were the recipient of both a planning grant and an implementation grant from the Michigan College Access Network, as well as a Challenge Grant from the Kresge Foundation, which we were able to successfully meet. We have hired a director for the Tri-Cities College Access Program and we are moving forward with our goal of increasing the number of residents in the Tri-Cities who have a post-secondary degree or certificate. Grand Rapids Community Foundation Serving as a neutral partner, bringing diverse groups together to solve common problems With economic challenges so prevalent across the state and the country last year, Grand Rapids Community Foundation recognized that the nonprofit sector was struggling to maintain service levels. Grand Rapids' arts and cultural organizations were also suffering as arts funding from the state was reduced and revenues from performances and admissions declined. Grand Rapids Community Foundation worked with the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids to convene local arts organizations and identify potential solutions, with a focus on the long-term. A marketing campaign was developed that includes an interactive website that can be regularly updated by the individual organizations and additional marketing opportunities are under development. In addition, Grand Rapids Community Foundation staff took advantage of its meeting space to convene a significant number of local groups around a variety of issues, including regional economic development, ending homelessness, offender reentry, engaging experienced adults, increasing access to college, and a variety of events aimed at providing community education around philanthropy and the roles the Community Foundation plays in community problem-solving. Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future We are part of the core leadership group for Grand Vision, a long-range community planning initiative for our Region. Additionally, we made a grant to Grand Vision when it was just getting underway back in 2006. Gratiot County Community Foundation Developing community leaders Executive Director serves on the Planning Committee and as Session Chair for Leadership Gratiot; a program engaging current and emerging leaders in a seven month course providing community knowledge, leadership skill building and networking opportunities. Greenville Area Community Foundation Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs We have a unique partnership with the local Education Foundation of Greenville. The two foundations partner in the spring educational grant process. They use their pass through funds to award grants and we use money from an educational field of interest fund. They also started two endowments with GACF as the administrator of the funds. Hillsdale County Community Foundation Catalyst for needed change Jackson Community Foundation Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs This year our focus has been to work with the Center for Family Health to leverage the support of other foundations and donors to match contributions and meet their capital campaign needs. We have also focused on our Jackson Legacy Scholarship to continue to find community support to help local students go to local colleges. Kalamazoo Community Foundation Serving as a neutral partner, bringing diverse groups together to solve common problems The CF served to convene partners from the public schools, chamber, city, higher education/ local NAACP, the Promise, and a research foundation. These partners shared an interest in developing a community shared agenda around education and learning. Over several months the partners developed a framework and have since leveraged $11 million to execute initiatives focused on helping every child be successful from birth to career. Lapeer County Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future The Vision Implementation Committee (VIC) and its subcommittees - Government, Healthcare, Education, Economy, and Transportation began in 2007 with a focus on envisioning Lapeer County's future in those 5 areas. It has brought many community members and officials together to collaborate and plan ahead. Leelanau Township Community Foundation Spotting or anticipating problems and acting to prevent them Uninsured Township residents could not afford doctor office visits and our one and only local physician was struggling to maintain his practice. We granted funds to the Township who in turn works with the local physician to provide office visits to qualified applicants. Lenawee Community Foundation Providing technical assistance to nonprofits In addition to providing one-on-one expertise in the areas of fundraising & nonprofit management to local 501 (c)(3)s or organizations anticipating such, we offered the workshop, Keeping Your Nonprofit Legal. Local organizations are appreciative that we keep current with new state & federal laws, & IRS regulations, so they don't have to do this on their own, especially those organizations not connected to state or national groups. M & M Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Mackinac Island Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies Marquette Community Foundation Convener for community discussions The foundation facilitated a Funders Leadership Initiative that was designed to begin the discussion about how we could all work more closely together to produce enhanced results for our community. Michigan Gateway Community Foundation Providing technical assistance to nonprofits Midland Area Community Foundation Serving as a neutral partner, bringing diverse groups together to solve common problems The Cultural Awareness Committee of the Midland Area Community Foundation, in collaboration with Northwood University and local businesses and company's provided a job shadow experience for international students. The students were from Northwood University and were junior and seniors at the university, they were assigned community partners who participated in their respective area of interest. These experiences range from local government to global companies to small businesses. Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs Through our relationship with CMF and WKKF, we were able to leverage funds to match local raised dollars for a permanent Access to Recreation endowment fund. These funds will grow and be utilized for future recreation projects involving community members of all abilities. Otsego County Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation Leveraging or brokering funds to meet community needs The above grant is an example of leveraging funds. This past year we were also able to broker funds to have a new field of interest fund created to benefit the Little Traverse Bay Watershed. In collaboration with a local company, the local tribe and the local water environmental group this new fund was created to offer future grants for environmental projects around the Little Traverse Bay. The initial gift from the company is also leveraging additional gifts because it has a challenge match associated with it. Our reputation in the community as a resource to address community needs and our often neutral position helped facilitate this gift and this new fund. Saginaw Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future The community foundation is the acting fiduciary for a collaborative body called Alignment Saginaw. This group, under the leadership of the community foundation, meets monthly; focuses on priority areas of need; established a community report card; and encourages others to the table. Sanilac County Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies Our YAC members hold an annual Cardboard City, which raises over $10,000 for homelessness prevention and intervention. This has met many emergency needs in our county. Shiawassee Community Foundation Responding to community emergencies Have served on the Rebuild Committee for the Owosso Community Players to help them find financial assistance to rebuild their historic theatre that experienced a fire. Southfield Community Foundation Spotting or anticipating problems and acting to prevent them Amidst leadership transition, the board worked to add members with diverse experience and expertise to the board. To increase the foundations future community impact. Sturgis Area Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Actively involved in neighborhood rehabilitation; in assisting early childhood education; local college access network; and starting a Next Generation Fund. Three Rivers Area Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Actively involved in a "master trail plan" an establishing an authority for implementing a trail system throughout the City of Three Rivers and surrounding townships. Tuscola County Community Foundation Involvement in community planning for the future Cooperative relationships were developed with several community organizations in order to promote standard of living enhancement for the residents of Tuscola County. One example involved the establishment of non endowed funds to promote volunteerism and promotion of early childhood reading activities within the county.   [top]