Over the last two weeks, members of our CMF community have engaged with policymakers during the first-ever virtual Foundations on the Hill (FOTH). 

In a series of 17 individual meetings, CMF members lifted up powerful stories of how philanthropy and government have worked in partnership to serve Michigan communities through the pandemic and beyond. 

In one of our congressional meetings, Sharon Mortensen, president and CEO of the Midland Area Community Foundation (MACF), described an extensive collaborative response effort to the dual crisis of the pandemic and the historic 500-year flood in the Great Lakes Bay Region last May.

Mortensen shared that one of the community foundation’s first steps in response to the pandemic was to bring together a coalition of community leaders from government, business, public health, education, nonprofits and philanthropy to identify issues and solutions. 

Their efforts included programs specifically launched to address gaps between the start of the pandemic and the time government programs were available.

“When facing any kind of crisis, it’s important to make sure that all voices are included in our efforts to do good in our communities. A crisis demands quick action but we have to be careful to truly listen while moving swiftly to make sure we are inclusive of all voices so our solutions can be those that are equitable to all residents,” Mortensen told CMF. 

It was nearly a year ago when the 500-year flooding event paired with infrastructure failures devastated Mid-Michigan. 

“Reflecting on the past year and the dual crisis we faced with the pandemic and the dam failures and resulting flooding, I am grateful for the way our community came together to help one another – it has been so inspiring to see,” Mortensen told CMF. 

Jenee Velasquez, executive director of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and CMF trustee, joined Mortensen in talking about the coordinated response of local philanthropy in partnership with government. 

“The one-two punch of the global pandemic and devastating flood widened gaps and created new needs for our ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) population along with those in poverty and an emerging group facing situational financial crisis. Our public–private partnerships maximize resources. For example, our community banks expedited interest-free loans along with SBA loans while our food pantries and schools distributed food,” Velasquez told CMF.  

FOTH offered the opportunity for philanthropy to share these stories with policymakers. 

“Storytelling is a powerful way to connect lawmakers with people in their districts and it was an honor to be able to share a story from our community. Stories inspire and connect people on a deeper level than the use of facts and figures, and that was evident during our meeting,” Mortensen told CMF. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to join our colleagues in sharing stories about our work and the work of our grantee partners with those developing policies that impact our ability to build thriving, equitable communities,” Velasquez told CMF. 

The meetings with Michigan officials also served as an opportunity to learn about the issues that are top of mind for them. 

“It’s helpful to hear from policymakers and understand their concerns and questions. Having small groups on the virtual meetings enabled us to have more time to listen and to share,” Mortensen said.

We look forward to lifting up the power of partnerships beyond FOTH as CMF’s Government Relations Public Policy team continues to organize and facilitate opportunities for our CMF community to engage with policymakers year-round.