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Monday, Nov. 6
9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Detroit River Tour: Creating Waves of Transformation
Join us for an engaging learning experience aboard a boat on the Detroit River! Designed and sponsored by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Foundation and hosted by the Green & Blue Network, the Detroit River Tour: Creating Waves of Transformation is one of several immersive experiences you can enjoy as a registered attendee of this year’s conference.
The Detroit River, once known as one of the most polluted rivers in North America, is now home to the “best riverwalk in the U.S.,” serving as a place for all to enjoy and a major economic driver for the region. During the boat tour, together we will learn about the many collaborative and high-impact efforts led by philanthropy, along with nonprofit, corporate and government partners making the river the local and international treasure it is today.
Please note that capacity will be limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is a $25 fee to participate, reserving your space on this unique excursion.
The Detroit River, once known as one of the most polluted rivers in North America, is now home to the “best riverwalk in the U.S.,” serving as a place for all to enjoy and a major economic driver for the region. During the boat tour, together we will learn about the many collaborative and high-impact efforts led by philanthropy, along with nonprofit, corporate and government partners making the river the local and international treasure it is today.
Please note that capacity will be limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is a $25 fee to participate, reserving your space on this unique excursion.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Actionable Strategies to Close Racial Disparities in Your Grantmaking
Several philanthropic organizations have launched racial equity-focused collaboratives and funds in the last three years, but how do foundations build on these efforts to move the needle on reallocating resources equitably across the sector? When foundations begin to measure equity in a way that honestly recognizes where they are and creates a baseline against which to understand progress—they are much more likely to sustain an open conversation that fosters continuous improvement. In this session, you will learn an eight-part framework to identify, discuss and solve for unintended racism within your own work, take action and begin to close racial disparities in resource distribution. You will leave with a workbook to get started, along with examples to support the creation of your own roadmap through reflection, small group discussion and peer-to-peer learning.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Building Your Equity Literacy Lens: An Introduction
Equity literacy is a framework built to cultivate the knowledge and skills that enable us to be a threat to the existence of inequity in our spheres of influence—no matter what our position is. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to recognize even the subtlest ways access and opportunity are distributed unfairly across race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language and other factors in our organizations. Join part 1 of this two-part workshop to deeply examine these conditions and learn about equity literacy and how to use this framework in your own work to respond effectively to inequity and influence lasting change.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Cultivating Community: Fostering Meaningful Relationships with Indigenous Partners
In 2019, the philanthropy sector spent over $400 billion dollars to support various initiatives, nonprofits and communities. Yet less than half of 1% of that funding went to support the first people of this nation, Native Americans, who still have some of the highest needs in the nation. Is your foundation interested in building relationships with Native communities but unsure how to begin? Are you eager to engage with Native-led and Native-supporting nonprofits but struggling to get started? In this interactive workshop, facilitated by Native Americans in Philanthropy, you will move from conversation to action. Together we will discuss strategies and tools to equip your foundation with the resources you need to take the next step.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Disaster Response: Shaping Your Organization's Preparedness Plan
If a disaster happened within your community today, are you and your team prepared to jump into action with effective and equitable response efforts? Together, we will discuss how we can plan now for such scenarios and how in a moment of crisis we can work to best support our most vulnerable and underserved populations. We will provide practical tools, technical resources and real-life scenarios to develop disaster preparedness plans for your organization and the community you serve.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Disrupting Philanthropy & Rebuilding Trust through Collective Giving
Research shows that collective giving has huge potential in driving resources to community-led solutions and strengthening our democracy at the local level. Join this workshop to experience being part of a giving circle and engage in a shared-learning experience where we will collectively decide where to donate. Thanks to the generous support of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, we’ll choose among pre-qualified grantees. This experience will help deepen your understanding of new research showing the impact of participation in a collective giving group on its members in their level of civic engagement, the embrace of trust-based philanthropy values and overall personal wellness.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework
The modern take on legacy is proactive, iterative and creative. It builds on history and culture. It includes how you intentionally live your life or operate a philanthropic vehicle and requires you to plan for the future. And it asks you when and where resources and actions have or could reinforce inequities and power imbalances.
Join this interactive workshop as we explore ideas and tools to define a living legacy, plan for its continuity, and amplify equitable results through its implementation. We’ll use lessons from the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s “Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework” and “Succession and Legacy” guides and other legacy planning experts. You'll leave with tools to discuss back home, while foundation staff and advisors will leave with new tools to assist donors and clients.
Join this interactive workshop as we explore ideas and tools to define a living legacy, plan for its continuity, and amplify equitable results through its implementation. We’ll use lessons from the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s “Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework” and “Succession and Legacy” guides and other legacy planning experts. You'll leave with tools to discuss back home, while foundation staff and advisors will leave with new tools to assist donors and clients.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Building Your Equity Literacy Lens Part II: A Deeper Dive
In this "Building Your Equity Literacy Lens" follow-up conversation, we will dive deeper into how participants have applied the Equity Literacy Framework in their sphere of influence. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to recognize even the subtlest ways access and opportunity are distributed unfairly across race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language and other factors in our organizations. By recognizing and deeply understanding these conditions and how they play out in our work, we are prepared to respond effectively to inequity in the immediate term as we work on influencing more lasting change. Participants will share triumphs in their equity literacy work, troubleshoot issues that have arisen in this work and exchange ideas for how to expand equity literacy work in our spheres of influence.
This session is for participants who have attended the Part 1 workshop, whether during this conference, a previous one, or in another space. Part of the discussion will be an opportunity for participants to reflect on how they have applied the lens in their work.
This session is for participants who have attended the Part 1 workshop, whether during this conference, a previous one, or in another space. Part of the discussion will be an opportunity for participants to reflect on how they have applied the lens in their work.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Foundant User Group
Join other Michigan-based Foundant CommunitySuite and Grant Lifecycle Manager users to network and learn with Foundant staff during this special user group event. You will get a walk-through of the most recent releases, quick tips training and a chance to ask questions and network with your peers. You are welcome to bring your laptop to follow along.
Advanced sign-up is required for this event. Please register here by November 3.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Growing Partnerships for Rural Michigan
Join your philanthropy peers for this interactive workshop with the Director of the Office of Rural Development, Sarah Lucas. Following an energizing session at the 2022 CMF Annual Conference, the Rural Philanthropy Affinity Group has led a yearlong effort to educate, engage and activate CMF members around the issues of housing, childcare, broadband access and infrastructure investment. These issues affect all Michigan communities and pose unique challenges and opportunities in rural areas. In this workshop, we will bring together what has been learned throughout the year and move to collective action. Though resources in rural Michigan are limited, partnership and creative program structures can lead to meaningful change across systems. While the conversation will focus on rural communities, the issues to be discussed also affect suburban and urban communities and all funders are encouraged to learn and engage in this important dialogue.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
New Center's Win-Win Growth
Join your peers for a bus tour of placemaking in Detroit's New Center neighborhood that has helped make the city a growing, vibrant place to live, work and play. Our stops will include the Pistons Performance Center, the Motown Museum, Curtis Jones Park and a key retail area incubated with philanthropic support. You will see first-hand how recent philanthropic investments in public spaces, the arts and grassroots community groups have joined with private sector investment in office and residential development to create win-wins for existing residents, area businesses and the city of Detroit.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation, snacks and souvenirs will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This immersive experience is supported by the William Davidson Foundation, the Detroit Pistons and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation, snacks and souvenirs will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This immersive experience is supported by the William Davidson Foundation, the Detroit Pistons and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Residents at the Center: The Detroit Residents First Fund
We all want community input but it can be difficult to elicit that input when there is little or no direct investment in resident-led, resident-designed organizations. Too often, foundation staff and others are reduced to contracting with intermediaries or other organizations to work with residents to understand their needs and hopes and get their ideas and input. The Detroit Residents First Fund is a successful effort to provide technical assistance and funding directly to neighborhood-based organizations to invest in their own leaders, leadership and project.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Together Again: Detroit’s Nonprofit Hub for the Future
Co.act is reopening our doors to the public and we’re excited to invite philanthropic sector partners to be some of the first to experience our new suite of hybrid offerings. For nearly four years, Co.act has served the sector by providing resources for nonprofit wellness and capacity building, creating unprecedented collaborations, and designing an environment for equitable funding. This has taken place mostly through a virtual landscape made necessary by the 2020 pandemic. This year, we’re excited to translate all that’s been built in the virtual world back to our physical home in New Center, Detroit. Come experience what Co.act is all about through a holistic, interactive, and exploratory experience. During this workshop, you will engage in our three pillars – equitable funding, collaborative learning, and innovative resources – and experience what it feels like to disrupt the status quo while transforming and strengthening the nonprofit sector together.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This is an immersive experience: attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required when you register for the conference, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Networking Reception
Enjoy live entertainment while you mingle, make new connections and reconnect with old friends! This networking reception is sponsored by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Main Stage Event: Centering Community Voice & Collaboration: A Vibrant and Thriving Detroit for All
This main stage event features dinner, a keynote, our community celebration and a presentation of one of our philanthropy awards. More details coming soon!
Tuesday, Nov. 7
6:30 AM - 7:15 AM
Movement and Mindfulness
This optional conference offering features the opportunity to engage in an early morning yoga session. Open to those of all experience levels – including beginners! – enjoy this calming space to relax, stretch and breathe as you center yourself for the day ahead. This session will be led by a Detroit-area professional yoga instructor. Attendees are asked to bring their own yoga mat if possible; extra mats will be available. Please note that a waiver will be provided that must be signed before participating.
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Annual Members Meeting
Grab breakfast and join our CMF community of philanthropy for our Annual Members Meeting. This program will feature messages from CMF’s President and CEO Kyle Caldwell and Board Chair Melanca Clark, as well as the election of new officers, with remarks from Chair-Elect Dave Mengebier. We’ll share highlights from the last year and look ahead to our continued journey together, with equity at the center.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Building Equitable Community Development Systems: Lessons for Philanthropy
Detroit’s community development sector has engaged in a years-long process of system building to create a stronger ecosystem for thriving neighborhoods, bringing together nonprofits, government, and residents to transform the sector. Funders have been involved at all levels, including efforts to center equity in decision-making. This session will tell the story of this system-building process, including system elements for successful community development, a case study and data and measurement through the Neighborhood Vitality Index (NVI). NVI is an analytical framework designed with input from hundreds of community stakeholders, intended to provide actionable information across sectors to drive collaboration in neighborhoods and measure neighborhood progress. It utilizes mixed methods, with racial equity as a central component. The case study will share NVI and challenges and lessons learned for stakeholders, especially funders.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Building Power at the Intersection of Race and Migration
In the last decade alone, 31,000 refugees from 52 countries have made Michigan their home, the majority hailing from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Unfortunately, Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (BAMEMSA) (im)migrant groups-both overlapping and distinct communities – continue to face the impacts of 9/11 – more than 20 years later. Due to rampant white nationalism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, ongoing criminalization and massive deportation, organizing to build power is not an option but a necessity. In this session, we will learn more from field leaders about their efforts to build cross-racial solidarity, the challenges they are facing and how funders can show up and take action to support these communities.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Equity in Leadership Succession Planning
The importance of ensuring leadership continuity for any charitable organization is a critical risk management strategy that must be addressed. According to recent research, succession planning approaches have not significantly moved the needle towards improving representation in leadership within the philanthropic or nonprofit sectors. Despite increased awareness of bias, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, why has there been little improvement in the racial representation and diversity of leadership at charitable organizations? What is missing in executive leadership transition and succession planning models that yields less than optimal results? During this session we will explore these questions and examine how an emerging approach can increase equitable executive transitions to insure diversity of leadership and sector-wide racial justice.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Models for Growing Your Community Foundation
Join several community foundation development staff members and CEOs to explore how they have successfully grown their organizations. During this session, we will highlight different philosophies and models from foundations of various sizes throughout Michigan. Together we'll unpack questions including who has annual fundraising goals and who doesn't. What are the strategies for building a strong donor base? We'll share several fundraising philosophies and tactics and why there’s not a "one size fits all" answer.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
State, Regional & Local Responses to the Housing Crisis
In 2022, the state of Michigan adopted its first-ever housing plan and launched its first-ever Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA) of housing programs. Now, state, regional, and local entities are creating a locally-driven partnership to assess needs, develop action plans and identify resources to narrow the gaps that nearly every community is experiencing and bolster Michigan’s housing ecosystem. Join this conversation to learn about the partnership and how Michigan philanthropy can get involved. Together we will engage in a discussion about how philanthropy, community development organizations and government can collaborate to better meet Michigan's housing needs. You will have an opportunity to share about your local or regional housing programs and how those can fit with state-level efforts.
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Streamlined Operations & Compliance for Lean Foundations
Lean foundations are often challenged to continually remain compliant with legal requirements and also maintain the operations of a strong, successful organization. In this session, CMF Experts in Residence, Dr. Brittany Kienker and Jennifer Oertel will help lean foundations examine critical areas of their operations and distinguish between optional and required operations activities. You will have opportunities to connect with peers to share perspectives, challenges and potential solutions on operations topic areas, including board governance, finances, human resources and more. You’ll come away with advanced strategies and actionable resources – including a compliance checklist worksheet - you can use to further streamline your own foundation operations while growing your CMF network!
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Unpacking State Policy Changes on Scholarships & Higher Education Funders
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is a dramatic and long-overdue increase in state-based financial aid. The Legislature allocated $250 million in the 2023 fiscal year state budget. This is a flexible scholarship that includes both a minimum award and a last-dollar award and can be used at community and tribal colleges, as well as both private 4-year and public 4-year institutions. It’s likely 80% of all college-going students will benefit. Are you rethinking your approach to scholarship funding in light of this exciting new state investment? Be ready to share your experiences and any emerging best practices about how to ensure students and families understand this opportunity and what it will take to continue to boost FAFSA completion rates. We’ll also provide an update on Michigan’s progress toward the 60x30 college attainment goal.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Disaggregated Data: Best Practices & Building Better Metrics
Join this session as we discuss a statewide campaign to mandate disaggregated state-level data by race and ethnicity. Specifically, we will detail what we miss when we cannot view data on health care, education, housing, incarceration, etc., with a race/ethnicity lens — in other words, when we assume that people of all races and ethnicities experience these systems in the same way. We will also share best practices for foundations and nonprofits collecting data on race/ethnicity. Together we will walk through the pitfalls of some common quantitative metrics and how community-led data collection and interpretation can build better metrics, trust and buy-in.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Economic Development & Placemaking: Reimagining The Michigan Central Station
The Michigan Central Station is partnering across the public, private and philanthropic sectors to transform the iconic space at the heart of Detroit’s new mobility and technology district. Michigan Central is already home to a thriving, open-platform tech startup ecosystem and stunning green space that connects to the city’s broader public space network. And when the former train station reopens next year, it will serve as a world-class town square and welcoming convening space for all in the community. The project, a social enterprise seeded by Ford, is bringing new jobs, skills training and businesses to Detroit and has already provided an enormous boost to the economic development of southeast Michigan. In this immersive, off-site experience, you will have a chance to learn in the space about how partners are advancing economic development and placemaking to attract innovative startups to Detroit, leveraging public space as an economic driver and advancing equitable community development.
This is an immersive experience. Attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required and accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This is an immersive experience. Attendees will leave the hotel for programming that will take place off-site. Transportation will be provided. Please note that capacity is limited for this experience. Advanced sign-up will be required and accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Equitable Pathways for Talent & Job Creation
In Michigan, state and local economic development leaders are doubling down on efforts to grow, attract and retain clean-tech companies, from electrified mobility to repurposed materials and green hydrogen. Newcomers to this space are leading the way in alternative talent strategies for production workers and, themselves, are reflective of the new faces of entrepreneurs leading work in the field. How can philanthropy help bridge the gap between the science and engineering of today and the economy and jobs of the future? This session will feature a brief topic overview and moderated discussion among local, socially minded business leaders who are not just advocating for new pathways for change but making them happen.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Equity in Philanthropy: Supporting Black-led Community-Based Organizations
In 2021, Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan (BCBSM), BCBSM Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, The Jewish Fund, Kresge Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Metro Health Foundation formed a funders collaborative and created the Black-led Mental Health Pilot Program. The program improves behavioral health care access for Black individuals and restricted funding to Black-led and Black-serving organizations which are historically underfunded in Detroit. It also provided funding to seven community-based organizations (CBOs) for projects between 18-24 months. We will discuss the importance of Black-led CBOs’ participation in structuring programs, including allowable expenses, timelines and aims. Further, we will discuss the value of an external evaluator. We will share evaluation findings and other lessons learned by grantee learning collaboratives. We will also hear from grantees who will share their perspectives on equity in philanthropy.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Legal Challenges to Advancing Equity: How Philanthropy is Responding
This year, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued several decisions that impact the ability to advance a more just and equitable society. The landmark decision effectively ending affirmative action in higher education and the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis decision, which permits certain businesses to deny services to the LGBTQ+ community, represents a regression in civil rights. While the use of race as a consideration in admissions decisions at public universities has been banned in Michigan since 2006, the rulings have set off a torrent of confusion and conflicting information that impact our sector and other sectors profoundly. We are also seeing challenges emerge to private diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives.
This conversation will seek to provide a deeper understanding of the history and context of the rulings and emerging threats to advancing racial equity and identify ways the philanthropic sector can respond and be prepared for potential future rulings that may impact Michigan communities and nonprofit partners.
This conversation will seek to provide a deeper understanding of the history and context of the rulings and emerging threats to advancing racial equity and identify ways the philanthropic sector can respond and be prepared for potential future rulings that may impact Michigan communities and nonprofit partners.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Open Space Discussions
In this pilot opportunity, developed from member requests for new ways to connect and engage, you can share your questions, knowledge, and experiences. There will be no formal presentation or facilitation – this is your space to create and drive the conversation with your peers. You can use this time to connect around a complex issue you have been working on to unwind, debrief on new insights gained during a previous session or discuss an emerging issue or an idea not addressed elsewhere during the conference.
Conference attendees serving in any role or capacity at their foundation are invited to engage!
What can I expect? The room will be set up with several round tables for hosting conversations. Some topics will be pre-assigned, but there will be open space for spontaneous meetups. There will be no facilitator or presenter, as we believe collective wisdom is in the room! Staff will help you find a space to connect and ensure the session closes on time.
What do I need to do? No homework is required! However, if you have a topic in mind, you will be invited to submit your ideas early in the conference. Topic lists will be shared for each session block so those interested can connect with others interested in the same topic. Please note that the success of this session depends on participants being engaged and open to interaction. You do not need to bring expertise or a specific story to tell but we encourage everyone to come prepared to connect and ask questions.
Conference attendees serving in any role or capacity at their foundation are invited to engage!
What can I expect? The room will be set up with several round tables for hosting conversations. Some topics will be pre-assigned, but there will be open space for spontaneous meetups. There will be no facilitator or presenter, as we believe collective wisdom is in the room! Staff will help you find a space to connect and ensure the session closes on time.
What do I need to do? No homework is required! However, if you have a topic in mind, you will be invited to submit your ideas early in the conference. Topic lists will be shared for each session block so those interested can connect with others interested in the same topic. Please note that the success of this session depends on participants being engaged and open to interaction. You do not need to bring expertise or a specific story to tell but we encourage everyone to come prepared to connect and ask questions.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Operationalizing Racial Equity: From Audit to Action
Advancing racial equity is about practice, progress and transparency. The Skillman Foundation led an internal racial equity audit tracking every penny we spent by race, from our grantmaking to our operations to our endowment over a three-year period. We wanted to find out are we, at The Skillman Foundation, balanced in the amount of investment and opportunity we provide. We dug and charted and there it was: a wakeup call. In late 2022, we published our findings so we can be held accountable. But what happens next? Join us for this panel discussion that will highlight the inner workings of the trials, tribulations and learnings of operationalizing racial equity.
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Policy & Advocacy Efforts: A Conversation on How to Get Started
Is your organization interested in engaging in policy and advocacy efforts but isn’t sure where to begin? During this session, we will give you the tools to get started, including how to prioritize your efforts in alignment with your organization’s mission and capacity, craft a policy agenda, support your nonprofit partners and more. Together we will explore examples of how to ensure equity is at the center of this work by embedding equity and community voice in your decision-making process. You will leave this session with fresh insights on how your organization can engage in the policy space and actionable resources to get started!
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Strategies for Building Stronger Fundraising Connections with Donors
Join us for an enlightening session that dives into the intricacies of managing challenging conversations with donors in fundraising. We will explore the art of addressing sensitive topics, objections and concerns while nurturing trust and transparency. Learn how these tough conversations are essential for fostering enduring donor relationships as we dissect common challenges such as budget constraints and shifts in project direction, shedding light on their prevalence within the nonprofit landscape. Discover a comprehensive framework for successful conversations anchored in principles of empathy, transparency and collaboration. You will leave with practical strategies to effectively initiate discussions, tackle concerns head-on and collaboratively forge solutions with donors.
12:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Main Stage Event: Creating a Healthy Democracy for Our Shared Future
Join us on Election Day for this powerful and inspiring main stage conversation featuring Eric Liu, a civic innovator and scholar, author and CEO and co-founder of Citizen University, on the flow of power and the value of civic engagement. In a message of hope, as well as a call to action, Liu will share how we can rehumanize our political landscape and lead with a commitment to each other to show up as engaged citizens with joy and love and in support of our shared civic ideals for a more prosperous and equitable future.
Together, we will explore the roles we can play to create connection and fellowship with the communities we serve, in our workplaces and our own lives. In examining the institutional realities of racism and injustice, we’ll discuss what it takes to build a healthy democracy and the agency we each have to affect systemic and transformative change.
Together, we will explore the roles we can play to create connection and fellowship with the communities we serve, in our workplaces and our own lives. In examining the institutional realities of racism and injustice, we’ll discuss what it takes to build a healthy democracy and the agency we each have to affect systemic and transformative change.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Advancing Your Foundation's Equity Journey
Foundations in Michigan are working intentionally to advance and embed equity throughout their work. While we are all on different aspects of the equity journey, we aim to use this session to highlight tangible ways various foundations are promoting equitable workplace culture and striving to apply an equity lens in their hiring policies, grantmaking, donor relations, community engagement and more. Join us for a conversation on how we have strengthened our internal organizational cultures, as well as our community presence while centering equity.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Advocacy in Action: Coalition Shares Successes & Challenges in Expanding the EITC
In the 2022 tax year, the amount of Michigan's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) increased from 6% to up to 30%, marking a significant tax cut for working families who earn lower wages. The expansion came following advocacy efforts from the Michigan EITC Coalition, which included more than 80 organizations and groups from around the state. In this session, hear from members of the coalition's leadership who will highlight their unique role and approach to advocacy. The panel will discuss successes, challenges and lessons learned on the journey to expand Michigan’s EITC to 30%. You will learn how to build a multi-sector coalition composed of organizations that are not consistently aligned on issues.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Beyond the Pandemic: Are We All Health Funders?
Michigan philanthropy responded urgently at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, working hard to ensure that communities were supported, basic needs were met and that accurate information was disseminated. Even foundations without primary funding areas in health found themselves responding to the global health crises in ways that made sense for the communities they serve. This session will provide connections to COVID-19 response grantmaking and “typical” health-related funding, and will direct attendees to ongoing opportunities for engagement in addressing ongoing community needs for cultivating the health of individuals and communities – in the broadest sense.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Building Capacity Through Corporate and Community Foundation Collaboration
Community foundations and businesses share a place-based focus on improving the quality of life and opportunities in specific geographic areas. Companies seek to build workforce capacities and create safe and healthy environments for people to live, play, work and engage. Community foundations have deep connections to communities that represent diversity in all its forms. By establishing relationships with each other, not transactions, community foundations and corporate funders can leverage each other’s strengths to achieve their goals. In this session, you will hear the stories of established and emerging partnerships and have opportunities to share your thoughts and questions about what makes these partnerships viable.
This session will feature a unique "fish bowl" format that features audience interaction, with opportunities for participants to actively join in the conversation.
This session will feature a unique "fish bowl" format that features audience interaction, with opportunities for participants to actively join in the conversation.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Income Inequality & Racial Disparities: Debt Collection in MI
Debt collection litigation dominates our court system. In 2019, over 200,000 debt collection cases were filed in Michigan alone. Debt collection lawsuits result in dire consequences for households, with approximately 80% of debt collection judgments in our state resulting in at least one garnishment of state income tax returns or wages. Most creditors are represented by an attorney, and less than 1% of debtors have an attorney. Michigan’s Justice for All Commission, partnering with The Pew Charitable Trusts, recently released Advancing Justice for All in Debt Collection Lawsuits, a report that outlines data-driven recommendations to improve the debt collection process in our state. The panel will discuss the data, the debt collection process, the importance of policy reform and pilot projects to help consumers.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Integrating Racial Equity, Justice & Trust-Based Philanthropy
Join us for a conversation on how to weave racial equity, racial justice and trust-based philanthropy principles into place-based grantmaking. This session is for everyone, no matter where they may be on their equity journey. We will share examples of how racial equity, racial justice and trust-based philanthropy can be applied to your grantmaking strategy, help you deepen relationships with grantseekers and nonprofit partners, and walk you through metrics and evaluation. You will leave this session with resources to incorporate these principles at individual, interpersonal and institutional levels.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships to Drive Economic Development & Legal Reform
Join us as we explore the role of public-private partnerships in driving economic development and criminal legal reform. We will discuss how these partnerships can fund infrastructure projects, support workforce development initiatives and promote innovation and entrepreneurship. The session will highlight examples of successful public-private partnerships in economic development and discuss the challenges and best practices for developing and implementing such partnerships. In the context of criminal legal reform, we will also discuss how these partnerships can be leveraged to address the root causes of behaviors that are criminalized, reduce recidivism and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the criminal legal system through alternatives to incarceration and community reinvestment.
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Reimagining Community Foundation Financial Reporting
Traditional external financial reporting has primarily been viewed as an accounting-based function, rooted in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Additionally, a community foundation's relationship with its external auditor heavily influences the scope of reported financial information. Join us as we explore how financial reporting can be adapted as community foundation activities shift and new strategic considerations emerge.
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Community Connections
Join this session to grow your network! During this lightly facilitated session, you will have the opportunity to discuss current trends in your work and crowdsource ideas from your Michigan peers. This will be an open space for discussion, so please bring your questions, concerns and highlights from your own work to share with the group.
New this year! This connection space will be offered twice during the conference. During this first round of connections, participants will gather with peers from similar organizations or serving in similar roles.
New this year! This connection space will be offered twice during the conference. During this first round of connections, participants will gather with peers from similar organizations or serving in similar roles.
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Networking Reception
Enjoy live entertainment while you mingle, make new connections and reconnect with old friends!
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Main Stage Event: Building Bridges of Belonging
john a. powell, (who spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be "part of the universe, not over it, as capitals signify"), an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, structural racism, housing, poverty and democracy, will join us on the main stage on Tuesday evening.
Illuminating our conference theme of belonging and facing the challenges of equity and systemic racism, john will examine how we can tap into our shared humanity to bridge differences and embrace authentic and transformational relationships to foster belonging in the communities we serve. john's powerful work provides a roadmap for our collective future in overcoming systemic and structural racism—“othering” through an equity lens.
john will be joined by Angelique Power, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, to discuss challenges and opportunities for our community of philanthropy to help create and contribute to an equitable, vibrant and inclusive Michigan where all thrive.
Illuminating our conference theme of belonging and facing the challenges of equity and systemic racism, john will examine how we can tap into our shared humanity to bridge differences and embrace authentic and transformational relationships to foster belonging in the communities we serve. john's powerful work provides a roadmap for our collective future in overcoming systemic and structural racism—“othering” through an equity lens.
john will be joined by Angelique Power, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, to discuss challenges and opportunities for our community of philanthropy to help create and contribute to an equitable, vibrant and inclusive Michigan where all thrive.
8:30 PM - 9:45 PM
Networking Receptions
The Michigan Forum for African Americans in Philanthropy (MFAAP), a CMF affinity group, is hosting a reception for current and prospective members. In addition, attendees who identify as Asian American and Pacific Islanders are invited to a first-time conference convening.
Wednesday, Nov. 8
6:30 AM - 7:15 AM
Movement and Mindfulness
Join your Michigan philanthropy peers for a running tour of downtown Detroit! This optional offering is an opportunity to support your wellness, peer networking and mindfulness. Local, experienced runners will set the pace and support the group’s safety and direction on our route. Runners of any speed or ability are welcome. Participants will leave from an assigned area of the hotel at 6:30 a.m.; bottled water will be available upon return. Please note that a waiver will be provided that must be signed before participating.
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
Community Connections
Join this session to grow your network! During this lightly facilitated session, you will have the opportunity to discuss current trends in your work and crowdsource ideas from your Michigan peers. This will be an open space for discussion, so please bring your questions, concerns and highlights from your own work to share with the group.
New this year! This connection space will be offered twice during the conference. During this second round of connections, participants will gather with peers across organizations and role types to discuss a topic of interest to them.
New this year! This connection space will be offered twice during the conference. During this second round of connections, participants will gather with peers across organizations and role types to discuss a topic of interest to them.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Board Composition: Built for Purpose
Over the past few years, many leaders and CEOs have acknowledged the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in their board composition. In 2020, our nation’s reckoning for racial justice that many thought would serve as a wake-up call, has yet to culminate into significant numbers of diverse board members across sectors. During this customized session for CEOs and board members, we will present racial diversity data from BoardSource’s Leading with Intent survey and discuss how a lack of diversity influences reputational capital that has the potential to cultivate trust among community stakeholders. Together, we will examine the challenges and triumphs that are part of the often messy and necessary process of diversifying a board. You will leave this session with examples of other organizations that have successfully diversified their Boards purposefully and with intent, as well as tools to assist you in engaging your entire board in your racial equity journey.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Building Michigan's Growth & Innovation Economy
Decades of research have shown that entrepreneurs who have the support and capital investment they need to scale, peers and mentors who coach them to dream bigger, and a pay-it-forward mentality have an outsized impact on local economies. These high-impact entrepreneurs lead businesses that have the potential to grow beyond the small-to-medium enterprise stage to become large, potentially global companies employing hundreds, if not thousands, of people. These are the companies that have accounted for most global job growth over the past 20 years. This session will be led by several young family foundations and family offices actively investing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in order to catalyze higher-paying jobs with greater accessibility in growth industries We’ll look at how we’re doing in Detroit and across the state, and the potential roles for philanthropy in building data-driven strategies, ensuring equitable access and fostering supportive policy.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Infusing Equity & Community Voice in Anniversary Celebrations & Communications
Anniversaries, organizational milestones and other celebrations are a great opportunity to update your history books, refresh your brand and celebrate your donor partners. But communities are asking for more. How might you honor your past, share a collective vision for the future of your community infused with equity, and uniquely position your organization to co-lead the work alongside community? How will you distinguish your standard publications and branding? How will you be transparent about the inequities of your organization's past while honoring the philanthropy in your community? Join us as we discuss these questions and hear more about the Grand Rapids Community Foundation's successes, challenges and lessons learned from their centennial celebrations. You will walk away with some ideas for your upcoming anniversary or organizational milestone.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Journalism Collaboratives for Community Solutions
Several philanthropic organizations have invested in individual news media outlets to support coverage of an important topic in the communities they serve. However, many have found mixed results from their investments. Imagine if a philanthropic organization funded more than a dozen news media outlets that collaborated with one another to cover an underreported community issue with the goal of illuminating community-based solutions, amplified through balanced and equitable reporting. Journalism collaboratives have an important role in our news and information ecosystem, especially when working to advance community solutions for the greatest need within our communities. Join us for this session as we build upon these ideas and discuss how to create effective and sustainable journalism collaboratives.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Legal Issues, Trends & FAQs: What You Need to Know
Most legal mistakes are inadvertent and avoidable – foundations need to know what to look out for and where to look for help. Join this session with CMF Experts in Residence and a practitioner from the field to learn about important legal issues, including recent updates and frequently asked questions.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Michigan’s Poverty Task Force: Exploring Philanthropy’s Supporting Role
According to the Michigan Association of United Ways ALICE report, 1.5 million Michiganders struggle to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, technology, health care and transportation. In her first term, Governor Whitmer signed an executive order to create the Michigan Poverty Task Force, a collection of 14 departments and agencies across state government charged with finding ways to strengthen, broaden, coordinate and streamline those efforts, ensuring that Michigan families have access to the support they need to lift Michiganders out of poverty. Working with the University of Michigan’s Youth Policy Lab and Poverty Solutions, we will spend time unpacking report recommendations from the last two years and identify how funders can prioritize, support and drive recommendations. This session will be hosted and facilitated by the funder-driven Safety Net Work Group.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Open Space Discussions
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Practicing Disability Justice in Grantmaking
In 2022, disability organizations across Michigan collectively engaged in a disability landscape analysis to identify gaps in the state’s disability ecosystem and to provide key stakeholders with recommendations to infuse the values and principles of disability justice in their work. This analysis lifted up three areas of concern, with one of them being the sustainability of disability work in Michigan. This session will look at the barriers identified through this landscape analysis, the principles of disability justice and recommendations for ensuring our work can be impactful for the long haul. While this session is focused on disability, our work is by nature intersectional, as the disability community is extremely diverse and because disability justice necessitates a focus on the priorities of those who are multiply marginalized.
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Main Stage Event: Advancing Public-Private Partnerships for a Thriving, More Equitable Michigan
In keeping with our tradition of engagement with state leadership at the Annual Conference, CMF is welcoming Michigan’s 49th Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, to the conference main stage to speak to the power of effective and innovative public-private partnerships. She will offer insights on the important collaboration of Michigan philanthropy and state government to serve the children and families of our state.
The Governor will join the celebration of a key public-private partnership in Michigan philanthropy with the 20th anniversary of the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL). The nonpartisan OFL identifies and brokers innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the executive branch of state government and philanthropy, having served three administrations, including Governor Whitmer’s executive office.
The Governor will join the celebration of a key public-private partnership in Michigan philanthropy with the 20th anniversary of the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL). The nonpartisan OFL identifies and brokers innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the executive branch of state government and philanthropy, having served three administrations, including Governor Whitmer’s executive office.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Accounting, Auditing & Tax Update
Join your colleagues working in foundation finance and operations for a special update on accounting, auditing and tax updates. Participants learn more about the key changes and how to adapt their work to align with best practices.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Activating a Philanthropic Policy Agenda for P-20 Education
Join us for a conversation with CMF's P-20 Education Affinity Group as they share their philanthropic and prioritized policy agenda. The agenda is focused on accelerating actionable change for Michigan’s students, boldly using funder influence and power to align advocacy efforts to transform Michigan’s schools, fostering alignment along the P-20 continuum of early learning, K-12, out-of-school time and post-secondary education. Join your peer funders to learn and unpack the role of philanthropy in advancing transformative change for our schools and early learning settings.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Cross-Team Collaborations for Effective Communications
How can we successfully work with our colleagues across departments to effectively reach and communicate with our stakeholders? In this session, we’ll discuss how communications and other teams across your organization can best work together to convey your story and achieve your strategic goals. We will share tools and best practices in audience segmentation, strategic communications planning and how to navigate challenges that may arise. While this session will share examples from corporate philanthropy, the session will cover topics valuable to all practitioners whose role involves communications and sharing messages with a variety of stakeholders.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Exploring Trust-Based, Equity-Driven Practices
There is a values-to-practice gap in traditional philanthropy. Many foundations are driven to build community, advance equity and increase opportunity – however, our sector’s most common grantmaking practices often do not reflect those values. In this session, we will dig deep into values. We will take some time to discuss trust-based values and reflect on the ways that those values can show up in our individual roles as well as what happens when your practices aren’t aligned with your values. Together, we will brainstorm small steps you can take in your current role and discuss how those changes can lead to meaningful shifts in philanthropy. You will engage in discussion with your peers about the values-to-practice gap and walk away with concrete ideas on how to align practices to values. If you’re ready to explore trust-based, equity-driven practices that show up at every level in a foundation, this is the session for you.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Navigating Leadership Transitions & Staff Turnover
While the nonprofit sector has historically struggled with high staff turnover, the pandemic exacerbated the problem. In a recent survey, 42% of nonprofits reported expecting staff turnover to increase in the near term. At the same time, only 13% of respondents said they have a talent retention strategy. Leadership transitions and increased staff turnover at all levels have serious implications for foundations, nonprofits and the communities they serve. In this session, we will facilitate an open discussion about leadership transition and staff turnover in the philanthropic sector and help you develop realistic strategies to strengthen retention.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Supporting Small Businesses Through a Collaborative Microloan Partnership
In 2017, the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation (MMFF) partnered with the New Economy Initiative, Detroit Development Fund and Living Cities to establish BizLoan with $2 million in loan capital and a $1 million loan loss reserve. The goal of the BizLoan Fund is to provide affordable capital to small, neighborhood-based businesses in Detroit. In this session, we will share the successes and challenges of structuring a fund using impact investing tools and strategies from the perspective of very different types of investors: a community development financial institution (CDFI), a private foundation, a business technical assistance provider and a national fund created by the country’s largest banks and philanthropy. Learn about this innovative partnership and how you can advance impact investing in your own work.
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Main Stage Event: Exploring Michigan Philanthropy’s Role in Fostering Communities of Belonging
Join this candid conversation as a group of your peers from across the state share what fostering communities of belonging means to them and in their work. Together, they will reflect on the challenges and successes in their own organizations’ efforts to widen their circles and engage and partner with nonprofits, community members, other local leaders and beyond. They will share their perspectives on the roles Michigan philanthropy can play to foster communities of belonging, where all are valued and welcomed, to help bridge polarizing divides and authentically build relationships, with community voice at the center.
This main stage conversation is an essential part of our community of philanthropy’s shared equity journey, building on our continued engagement together around equity, inclusion and diversity in a powerful experience that invites Michigan philanthropy into conversation and further readies us for the journey ahead.
This main stage conversation is an essential part of our community of philanthropy’s shared equity journey, building on our continued engagement together around equity, inclusion and diversity in a powerful experience that invites Michigan philanthropy into conversation and further readies us for the journey ahead.
