Celebrating National Community Foundation Week

At the foundation of community success

Celebrating National Community Foundation Week - November 12-18, 2020

This year has been remarkably difficult in many ways. Our country has experienced food shortages, high unemployment, and a high level of division and divisiveness. Yet, through it all, in Charlevoix and Emmet counties, we have also seen so many helpers: donors, nonprofit organizations, and citizens stepping up to help neighbors and friends in need. We have seen so much good this year, in response to the unprecedented difficulties.

The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Charlevoix County Community Foundation are proud to stand alongside our communities’ nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and local government. Since your community foundations were established in 1992, grant dollars returning to our communities in support of these partners have totaled more than $50 million.

Much like our local businesses, nonprofits and schools, this year challenged us to work differently. We provided initial COVID-relief funds and continue to provide ongoing support for urgent needs, such as access to food, shelter, safety, healthcare, utility assistance and more. We have changed our grant cycles to allow for operational support requests, knowing that support for nonprofit operations has been severely impacted by the pandemic. In short, we have worked to lessen some of the burdens being placed on our communities. We are perfectly positioned for this kind of work and will continue to work toward improving quality of life for all people in our areas.

Providing grant dollars to area nonprofits, schools and municipalities is just one part of the work of your community foundations. We also have a seat at the table when our communities tackle bigger challenges like workforce housing, clean energy and economic development. Our staff members work alongside individuals, businesses, agencies, and nonprofits in exploring these community challenges, and we connect these conversations with the people, partners, and resources necessary to solve these often complex issues. Staying connected with our communities and the issues we face together is vital to our work, both in good times and in challenging times.

This year marks the 31st anniversary of the establishment of National Community Foundation Week by former President George H. W. Bush. This week was created to recognize the work of community foundations throughout America and their collaborative approach to working with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address community problems.

Our impact and involvement is made possible by friends like you. When you give to your community foundations, you make a difference today and, thanks to the power of endowment, in perpetuity.

We invite you to learn more about the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. Together we can do more.

David L. Jones                                                        Chip Hansen

Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area                    Charlevoix County Community Foundation

Community Foundation