Join CMF

Leadership .... Connections .... Knowledge

Founded in 1973, CMF is the nation’s largest regional membership association of grantmakers, serving more than 350 organizational members representing thousands of foundation and giving program staff, trustees and volunteers. Our members include staffed and unstaffed family foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, independent foundations, community foundations and public charities of all sizes.

CMF offers the leadership, connections and knowledge to help your foundation be more effective by:

• Connecting you with other CMF members to respond collectively to critical needs in Michigan
• Offering more than 60 high-quality educational & networking opportunities each year including our state-wide annual conference
• Representing and advocating for organized philanthropy in Michigan in Lansing and Washington, D.C.
• Negotiating valuable product and service discounts
• And much more…

Eligibility & Dues

Membership is open to family foundations, independent foundations, corporate foundations or giving programs or public foundations. There are approximately 65 community foundation members serving every county in Michigan. Other community foundations may join CMF by affiliating with the existing community foundation in their county.

Annual dues are based on assets for all but corporate giving programs, whose dues are based on the dollar amount of grants paid. Corporate giving programs must grant at least $25,000 over a five-year period to be eligible for membership.

Contact Barbara Dryer, Membership Coordinator, for more information.

Guiding Principles & Practices

Because foundations and corporate giving programs should strive to maintain the public trust in fulfilling their respective charitable purposes, the CMF Board of Trustees adopted seven Guiding Principles as a condition of membership effective April 1, 2004. CMF members are asked to endorse, work to achieve and demonstrate each of the Principles in their foundation's or corporate giving program’s operations.

Member Non-Solicitation Policy

CMF provides members opportunities to explore and learn. To foster open exchanges at meetings and events, our members agree to refrain from grantseeking or fundraising.