Family Foundations

A fund or endowment designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a private foundation under the law, the primary function of which is the making of grants. The assets of most independent foundations are derived from the gift of an individual or family. Some function under the direction of family members and are known as “family foundations.”

Current Membership Statistics:
CMF’s membership contains almost 150 family foundations, representing over 40% of CMF's active membership.

CMF family foundation members have access to additional resources geared to the needs of families:

• Monthly conference calls provided by the National Center for Family Philanthropy on topics of interest to family foundations - available free to CMF
• The Family Philanthropist, our print newsletter for family foundations only
• Individual technical assistance to guide families setting up a foundation and help to an existing foundation on topics like developing a plan for succession or facilitating a board retreat.

CMF provides many networking opportunites and educational programs for family foundations. Our signature event is the Family Foundations Retreat - a weekend retreat offered every other year for family foundation staff, trustees, and their families. The retreat focuses on issues unique to family foundations such as succession planning, next generation preparation, and donor intent, as well as a youth grantmaking activity for children from 5-17 years of age. 

2012 Family Foundation Retreat Highlights

Did you miss this years retreat? See what happened and check out our photos. Read our NewsWire article about the event and read our recap and look at our photos of the event here.

Member Highlight: Ruth Mott Foundation

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Ruth Rawlings Mott (1901-1999) was raised in El Paso, Texas. Her father was a family practice physician who served those in need on both sides of the border. Her mother was a businesswoman, kindergarten teacher, and founder of the El Paso YWCA.

Ruth went east to study physical education, became a teacher in the Baltimore Friends School, and returned to El Paso to open her own dance studio. It was there that she met and married Charles Stewart Mott and moved to his estate, Applewood, in Flint, Michigan. She became a mother, an active partner with her husband in the community, and prominent in her own right as a local leader, foundation trustee, and national philanthropist. She served as a trustee on the Board of the C.S. Mott Foundation from 1944 to 1975. Upon her death in 1999, the Ruth Mott Foundation was established to continue her philanthropic endeavors. [More...]

 

Family Foundation Trustee Highlight: Tom Porter, Vice Chair, Family Philanthropy

Tom Porter, President, Porter Family Foundation, embraces the mission and value of the Council of Michigan Foundations and has great vision for the potential of family philanthropy in Michigan. He joined the CMF Board of Trustees in 2007 and became the Vice Chair of Family Philanthropy in 2010.

The Porter Family Foundation was established in 1999 and joined CMF in 2003. In addition to Tom, trustees include his two children, Jessica and Jason. Part of the foundation’s mission is to serve as a vehicle for developing a tradition of family giving. [More...]