Events Calendar

Join us for a deep dive into two resources for youth philanthropists and advocates. First, we will walk through the YAC Advisor Guidebook, which explores multiple topics related to youth advisory councils' (YACs) development and best practices, including grantmaking, recruitment, community partnerships, and more. Together we will explore how to use the guidebook while providing time for feedback to ensure it is an effective and helpful tool for advisors. We will also highlight the Youth Voters Guide, which serves as a resource for youth who wish to become civically involved and more informed on the needs of their community. This guide is meant to empower youth to take civic action not only through voting but through becoming informed and sharing their knowledge with those around them.

Join your peers for the opportunity to reconnect in person on health-related issues of interest to Michigan philanthropy. In addition to dedicated time for learning, there will be time set aside to network and discuss opportunities for collaboration. We are excited about all of the ways philanthropy can contribute to improving the health of Michiganders. To that end, this meeting will be responsive to you and your interests – for example, mental/behavioral health, race-based health disparities, hospitals and health systems, maternal and child health, food access/food systems/nutrition, oral health, community violence, safe drinking water, the role of local public health in our communities. Whether you are a devoted health funder or just interested in learning more about the challenges and opportunities to support innovation in the field, you are invited to participate.

As new employees and trustees join foundation leadership, questions arise about the rules and best practices impacting their staff and board members. These questions impact all foundations, including family, independent, corporate and community foundations. CMF Experts in Residence Brittany Kienker, Ph.D., and Jennifer Oertel lead this interactive session to address frequent questions about self dealing, conflicts of interest and other policies that foundations can use to remain compliant and avoid situations that could risk the organization’s reputation in the community. 

New to the community foundation field? This two-day program, taught by leaders with decades of community foundation experience, provides comprehensive training for community foundation staff and will cover the business model legal structure, financial, programs and operations. We’ll also dig into types of funds, donor intent and variance power, Pension Protection Act implications, donor advised funds, non-endowed funds and so much more! This programming goes beyond theory to provide you with practical knowledge you can begin using immediately. This session is intended for all staff types and while the target is those with two years or less of experience, all experience levels are welcome! Due to the CMF partnership with Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, CMF members don’t have to leave the state to get this training.

There is a range of vehicles available to engage the whole family in philanthropy—each vehicle is a tool in your philanthropy toolbox that allows you to reach individual or collective goals through different approaches. Giving families are increasingly using a variety of vehicles in concert with one another to advance their social impact strategies. A single philanthropic family could use a donor-advised fund for their youth philanthropy programs, a family foundation for collective grantmaking, and pilot a 501(c)(4) with their next generation family members who are interested in advocacy work. In this webinar, understand the different motivations for using multiple vehicles, how to connect the purpose behind your giving to your vehicle structures, their pros and cons, and how to create the most useful structure for your philanthropic goals.

Save the date to join your corporate philanthropy peers for an interactive in-person retreat to discuss the issues that are most important to your work. This event will provide an opportunity for participants to share challenges and best practices, discuss emerging practices, network and learn together.

Join your fellow YAC advisors for an engaging in-person spring training! YAC advisors will explore tips and tools for fostering a culture of belonging within their YACs. Additionally, advisors will discuss strategies for listening and responding to YAC member needs or challenges with support and confidence.

Join Michigan philanthropy and nonprofit leaders and sector partners for in-person networking, idea sharing and collaborative conversations during a special series of regional convenings taking place around the state. While enjoying time to connect and network with peers, we’ll also hear from national thought leaders who will share key insights on data, trends, outlooks and opportunities for our sector and the communities we serve.

Join us for a virtual gathering to discuss technology and software, share what you’re seeing in your own work and crowdsource ideas from your fellow peers across the state. 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. As we continue our collective equity journey, we invite you to bring forward equity-related topics to our roundtables throughout the year. This conversation is open to all CMF members whether your work touches technology, you have a dedicated technology role or you just want to pick up a few tips from our technology experts.

Reaching consensus is difficult, particularly during a decision-making moment that will have a real impact on your philanthropy. How do you have productive conversations during meetings and other decision points when there are relationship dynamics, conflict, or simply differences of opinion? How do you allow for individual viewpoints across generations, but ensure there is a framework in place to push the collective goals of the philanthropy forward? Are there tips to facilitate productive meetings, especially when there are complex family dynamics at play? Learn strategies to manage dynamics, build in moments for family connection, and facilitate group decision-making.

Join us for a discussion about current and emerging trends of greatest impact for family foundations. This session will address challenges in compensation where questions most arise, such as how to determine disqualified persons and reasonableness for foundation executives, including family members. The panel will also answer questions to address key topics such as how to prepare for pay transparency, how to determine salary budgets within the current economics and how to align your compensation philosophy to attract and retain talent.

Join Michigan philanthropy and nonprofit leaders and sector partners for in-person networking, idea sharing and collaborative conversations during a special series of regional convenings taking place around the state. While enjoying time to connect and network with peers, we’ll also hear from national thought leaders who will share key insights on data, trends, outlooks and opportunities for our sector and the communities we serve.