Tuesday, August 22, 2017

A photo of a freezer might not be super exciting, BUT – what it represents is truly heart-warming. This new energy-efficient freezer was purchased with support of a CFNEM Community Impact Grant of $2,100 to Alcona County’s St. Vincent de Paul will help this organization serve hundreds of families and individuals in need in Alcona and its surrounding communities. And the fact that it will help to cut costs means they will be able to help even more people. Very cool! (Pun intended) More →

Monday, August 21, 2017

This. Our communities have a deep and rich history to be celebrated! This is Hazel Phetteplace, the author of a recently published book, “History of Mitchell Township”. Hazel passed away earlier this year at the age of 93, and writing this book was a lifelong goal of hers. Hazel was an amateur historian in Alcona County’s Mitchell Township, and her book features stories and photos of friends and neighbors. She also used her grandfather’s diary as a reference; he settled in the township during the logging days, selling tool handles to loggers and running a farm. A $1,500 grant to the Alcona Historical Society provided funding to print Hazel’s book, as well as several other booklets for self-guided driving tours and historical publications. More →

Thursday, August 17, 2017

With 18 high schools in the Community Foundation's nine-county service area having a Youth Advisory Council (YAC), our adult YAC advisors are so important! These folks lead, engage and gather our youth grantmakers throughout the year, and then take a huge step back as the kids determine where grants will go each year. This week, many of our advisors came to Alpena to get ready for the new YAC year, bounce ideas of each other, and talk all things YAC. Please give these awesome people a "like" for all they do for the youth of our communities! http://www.wbkb11.com/yac-advisorys-travel-to-the-community-foundation-of-northeast-michigan-for-annual-meeting More →

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Two recent grants from our affiliate, the Straits Area Community Foundation, will help make health care more accessible for Cheboygan County and Mackinaw City residents. http://www.cheboygannews.com/news/20170816/straits-area-community-foundation-awards-3530-in-health-care-grants More →

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Like it or not, social media has become an indispensable part of our lives. One of the obvious benefits of social media is that it has engendered new forms of communication and stakeholder engagement. In today's digital world, if a nonprofit doesn't have an active presence on social media, then they're missing out on new relationships, potential volunteers and donors, and an entire audience who wants to get involved and support their mission. More →

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Like it or not, social media has become an indispensable part of our lives. One of the obvious benefits of social media is that it has engendered new forms of communication and stakeholder engagement. In today's digital world, if a nonprofit doesn't have an active presence on social media, then they're missing out on new relationships, potential volunteers and donors, and an entire audience who wants to get involved and support their mission. More →

Monday, August 14, 2017

Three sessions - you pick one. Two locations. One huge opportunity to learn the ins and outs of social media marketing for nonprofits! http://www.cfnem.org/resources/news/community-foundation-to-host-social-media-training-for-nonprofits.html More →

Friday, August 11, 2017

Have you heard of "Prescriptions for Health"? We are proud to be a partner in this program focused on health and nutrition with Thunder Bay Community Health Service, Inc., Alcona Health Center, District Health Department 4, District Health Department No. 2 and District Health Department # 10. The program is currently accepting new enrollees. http://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2017/08/northeast-michigan-prescription-for-health-program-is-accepting-new-enrollees/ More →

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Your nonprofit does incredible things. Share it with the world! The Community Foundation is proud to bring the founder and president of the Social Media Association of Michigan, Sola Obayan, to northeast Michigan to facilitate these training sessions for our local nonprofit staff and volunteers. Sola is also the lead consultant of the Detroit-based BTO solutions. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as Fast Company, Women 2.0, Xconomy, and WXYZ Channel 7. Learn more about this incredible opportunity for hands-on social media training for all levels of expertise, and REGISTER at http://www.cfnem.org/resources/social-media-training.html. More →

Monday, August 7, 2017

If you're an Alcona resident, you may have seen this post card in your mail box recently. The ARA Farm Market volunteers are passionate about encouraging local families to eat fresh, and eat healthy! And what better time than when the best of summer and fall's produce is just about ready to enjoy? These post cards were printed with the help of a CFNEM Community Impact grant. More →

Friday, August 4, 2017

To our non-profits, your staff, and your volunteers: SAVE THE DATE! You told us you want some in-depth training on social media marketing for your organizations, and we heard you loud and clear! We are pleased to offer three separate sessions in two different locations on August 30 & 31 to help you promote your non-profit through Facebook and other social media channels. Registration will be available soon. Want information on these trainings delivered right to your inbox? Visit http://www.cfnem.org/resources/e-news-sign-up.html to sign up for our e-news. #socialmediafornonprofits More →

Thursday, August 3, 2017

“Like” to give the Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) a virtual high five! The WGC is celebrating its 10th year of grantmaking for our communities. The WGC (a fund and program of the Community Foundation) awarded $700 in grants in its first year. And now, 10 years later, $21,000 will be awarded. Wow! THAT’S the power of endowment, and THAT’S the power of collective giving! Thank you to all of the WGC members who have made these grants possible. Pssst…grant awards will be announced in mid-September. This year's committee members (all WGC donors) are Barbara Bruske, Debra Kruttlin, Amber McLarney-Vesotski, Kathy Brown, Dawn Diamond Gentry, Mary Hamilton, Barbara Riggs, Jena Browning Townsend, Marge Granlund and Ann Diamond. More →

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Does your family know what to do in the event of a fire? With the help of a Community Foundation mini-grant from the Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council, quite a few kids who attended July's Mikado Days event do! This grant provided funding for Mikado Township to purchase fire safety kits to give away at the event. More →

Monday, July 31, 2017

Have you seen the July edition of “The Navigator”, the Community Foundation’s e-newsletter? If you didn’t get it in your email inbox, you can sign up to stay in-the-know here: http://www.cfnem.org/resources/e-news-sign-up.html More →

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Check out these photos from Thunder Bay Community Health Services’ “Love and Logic” program in Cheboygan County. A $2,000 grant from our Straits Area Community Foundation affiliate provided funding for this program, which incorporates parenting skills, behavioral management strategies and gardening, cooking and nutrition into one program. This year, over 50 Cheboygan County families participated in and benefited from the program! More →

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

$67 trillion in personal assets will be passed from one generation to the next over the next 40 years. Incredible, right? More than $16 billion of that is right here in northeast Michigan, and without the effort to preserve a portion of that now, the majority will leave our communities through this huge Transfer of Wealth. And the reality is that most decisions about significant charitable gifts are made during big life transitions, like retirement or moving. Check out this breakdown: -52% of these assets will go to heirs (which will most likely not be in northeast Michigan). -40% will go to charity through lifetime giving and bequests. -8% will get eaten up in taxes and fees. If just 5% of this amount were preserved for northeast Michigan’s future, it could mean $42 million in grants every year. EVERY YEAR! Learn more about preserving “5% for the Future”. http://www.cfnem.org/professional-advisors/5-for-the-future.html More →

Monday, July 24, 2017

Another project completed with support from a Community Foundation grant. The new signage at the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse is beautiful! More →

Thursday, July 20, 2017

The impact women can make through charitable giving, whether individually or collectively, is incredible. Did you know that women participate in 89% of a household's philanthropic decision-making - either together with their spouse or partner, or as the sole decision-maker? That's according to a 2016 study by the U.S. Trust. Women also see charitable giving as the most effective way they can make the greatest impact on the issues they care about most, followed closely by volunteerism. (The Northeast Michigan Women's Giving Circle is a great example of the impact of women giving together. This year, more than $20,000 will be awarded in new grants from the WGC Fund at the Community Foundation!) And with the Transfer of Wealth currently taking place in the United States, women will make the majority of decisions regarding financial planning, inheritances for their heirs and legacy gifts. http://www.cfnem.org/professional-advisors/5-for-the-future.html More →

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Have you seen any of the great concerts at the Rogers City Theater? A Community Impact grant to the Presque Isle District Library provided funds to bring the concerts (and a new recreational activity) to downtown Rogers City for evening entertainment. More →

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Look at these smiles! This bright, talented and motivated group of students from Ogemaw Heights High School were presented with scholarships in June from the Educational Support Partnership (ESP), which holds its scholarship funds through our affiliate foundation, the North Central Michigan Community Foundation (NCMCF). Congratulations and good luck! More →

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Sharing some great photos from our June Scholarship Recognition Celebration! Do you recognize any of these students? Feel free to tag them in the comments of this post so they can share with their friends and families! More →

Monday, July 10, 2017

2017 marks the 25th birthday for Youth Advisory Councils in Michigan! Did you know that in northeast Michigan alone, our Youth Advisory Councils (or YACs) have awarded more than $1.85 million in grants to youth-related projects and programs in our communities? WOW! Youth philanthropy is a powerful and positive force in our region, our state, and worldwide. Please like and share to give our local youth grantmakers a virtual high five! https://www.michiganfoundations.org/news/june-19-2017#yacs More →

Thursday, July 6, 2017

"There is only one northeast Michigan in the world." - Project NATIVE Do you know your invasive plants from the native plants? A new program called Project NATIVE (Northeast Alliance Targeting Invasive Exotics) through Huron Pines aims to promote the planting of native plants in our region, educate about invasive species, and bring together local organizations to promote how native plants can benefit wildlife and water quality. A $2,000 Community Impact through our Iosco County Community Foundation affiliate provided funding for this project, which created partnerships with the Pine River-Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition, AuSable Valley Audubon, Crossroads Industries Inc and Tawas Point State Park. More →