Skip to main content

Connect and Learn with Your Peers

Affinity Groups

CMF’s issue-driven affinity groups help to lead and support collaborative philanthropic responses to Michigan’s most critical needs. Affinity groups also serve as a space for peer exchange, where members can share information, news and resources with one another. 

The Green and Blue Network is an action-oriented affinity group comprised of all CMF foundation member types. Members come together to learn from experts and each other about leading environmental issues and how to make more effective and intentional environmental grants, impact environmental policy and leverage grant dollars.

Engage with the Green and Blue Network Online Learning Community

The Health Funders Affinity Group connects grantmakers throughout the state who fund programs and projects with a health focus.

View the Health Funders Online Community

The Human Resources & Talent Affinity Group is designed to connect those supporting human resources development in their organization (be it HR professionals, trustees or other staff) and those seeking to advance policy and practice in areas of equity and employment.

Engage with the Human Resources & Talent Online Learning Community 

The Latinx Affinity Network (LAN) connects Latinx professionals in Michigan philanthropy to build community, support current and potential colleagues in the field and build a stronger Latinx presence in statewide conversations that are priorities for Michigan’s Latinx peoples and cultures. 

Engage with the Latinx Affinity Network Online Community

The Michigan Forum for African Americans in Philanthropy (MFAAP) Affinity Group is dedicated to encouraging philanthropy leadership with the African American community and supporting an emerging public policy agenda. This affinity group provides opportunities designed to help members grow and learn together through professional development, networking and educational seminars. Membership is open to African American and Black individuals serving as staff and trustees of CMF members at private foundations, community foundations, public granting charities, operating foundations, corporate giving programs, independent foundations, or family foundations.

Engage with the Michigan Forum for African Americans in Philanthropy Online Community 

P-20 Education Affinity Group convenes around pressing issues that impact Michigan’s students and educational systems. Responses range from taking policy positions, to meeting with government officials, to collaboratively funding projects to catalyze positive impact for Michigan communities.

Engage with the P-20 Education Online Community

The Rural Philanthropy Affinity Group connects grantmakers throughout the state who fund programs and projects in rural communities. Through learning opportunities, participants expand the range of strategies and roles that grantmakers will consider to invest in rural people, places and economies.

Learn about the innovative work of Rural Philanthropy Affinity Group members in our rural philanthropy video series. 

Engage with the Rural Philanthropy Online Community 

Learning Communities

CMF’s Learning Communities are opportunities for members to come together to learn, explore or test ideas around a specific topic or project.

The Civic Engagement Learning Community focuses on fair and equitable redistricting, as well as on amplifying community voice, improving civic infrastructure and strengthening democratic institutions.

Engage with the Civic Engagement Online Community 

The Great Lakes Funder Collaboration (Collaboration) is comprised of more than 50 funders that annually grant more than $50 million to advance work on Great Lakes issues in the United States and Canada. Member funders work to improve their individual effectiveness and to identify ways they can work together to protect and improve the quality of the Great Lakes and its communities.

The purpose of the Collaboration is bring together funders across the United States and Canada interested in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. These funders are faced with many challenges and opportunities both in understanding and addressing this critical and complex system and the role they play, individually and collectively, in protecting and restoring it.

CMF members who currently have, or are interested in developing, a LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) Fund at their foundation are invited to participate in the LGBTQ Funders Learning Community. Participants can learn from experts and each other about effective strategies for launching or growing LGBTQ Funds, current trends in the LGBTQ community, how to effectively build local LGBTQ philanthropy, what it takes to establish a strong LGBTQ Fund and more. 

Engage with the LGBTQ Funders Online Community

The Scholarship Learning Community discusses legal issues related to scholarship programs, ways to increase the effectiveness of the application process, how to increase the impact scholarships make on their communities and many other relevant topics.  

Engage with the Scholarship Online Community  

Interested in joining an affinity group or learning community?

X