About Council of Michigan Foundations
We lead, strengthen and support Michigan's community of philanthropy — embolden and equip Michigan philanthropy in the relentless pursuit of equitable systems and the embrace of inclusive diversity.
Focus Areas
Equity and racial equityPolicy & advocacyCapacity building for community foundationsImpact investingGrantmaking best practices and supportCommunity philanthropy
Who They Fund
community foundations and affiliate CFsfoundation/CF staff and leadership (liaison support, training attendees)Global Majority / BIPOC communities and caucusesyouth/adolescent groups (YAC) and community recipientsRegional/local nonprofit organizations seeking capacity or pilot funding
About Council of Michigan Foundations
A $2 million Statewide Equity Fund strategic support pilot is the clearest sign of how Council of Michigan Foundations works: it backs member-led infrastructure, equity-centered public funding, and regional collaboration across Michigan. The funder’s recent awards show a mix of large operating and project grants alongside smaller capacity investments, with grants reaching community foundations, statewide intermediaries, and local nonprofit partners. Launch Michigan received the largest recent award at $460,267 in 2025 for operating support, while Tides Center received $440,000 in 2024 to manage program projects. The same pattern appears in 2023 and 2024 awards to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan through the State Equity Fund pilot. Beyond those larger commitments, the foundation also supports liaison work, racial healing initiatives, and community foundation transitions. That combination points to a funder focused less on direct service delivery and more on strengthening the philanthropic and civic systems that shape Michigan grantmaking.
What Council of Michigan Foundations Funds
Equity is a central theme in the grant record. Council of Michigan Foundations gave $305,698 to Community Foundation of Greater Flint for the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation initiative and State Equity Fund pilot work, and it also supported One Love Global with a $100,000 TRHT grant. Community philanthropy infrastructure is another clear area: Keweenaw Community Foundation received $15,000 to move from affiliate community foundation status to independent community foundation status, while Lapeer County Community Foundation received $11,403 for strategic planning. The foundation also supports convening and sector learning. In 2025, Branch County Community Foundation received $10,550 for organization capacity building, annual conference scholarship support, and a feasibility study. Technology and operational readiness appear as well, including $7,295 to Battle Creek Community Foundation for software training and a cybersecurity audit.
How Council of Michigan Foundations Gives
Typical awards cluster from modest capacity grants to six-figure pilots: the p25 is $7,346, the median is $26,500, and the p75 is $161,000. The record includes both one-time project support and repeated relationships, especially with Launch Michigan and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which each appear in more than one year. That suggests an ongoing portfolio rather than isolated awards. Council of Michigan Foundations is a Pure DAF Provider, so the grantmaking is carried out through donor-advised funds rather than a program staff grant application model. Several named programs accept unsolicited requests, including conference scholarships, national standards support, consultant network grants, and technology grants.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$98K
Total Assets
$44.3M
Total Revenue
$5.8M
Total Expenses
$6.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $161K, with a median of $27K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$27K
75th Percentile
$161K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
KYLE CALDWELL
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