The Carls Foundation supports and partners with organizations statewide from Southeast Michigan to the Upper Peninsula to advance its programming priority areas of children’s healthcare, children’s human services and the preservation of open spaces through land conservancy partnerships.

The foundation has provided support for healthcare facilities, children’s advocacy centers (CACs) and programs throughout the state, with special emphasis on the prevention and treatment of hearing impairment and addressing the various needs of families with children.

Elizabeth A. Stieg, executive director and president of the Carls Foundation, shared that over the years, this work ebbs and flows depending on the immediate needs impacting families and children in communities.

Kathy A. Stenman, program director at the Carls Foundation, highlighted that within the foundation’s focus around children’s health and human services, capital support is the core of the foundation’s work.

“We have supported human services needs in residential facilities, homeless shelters and nonprofit partners that support children and their families. They are all facing capacity needs, and we work to address their capital needs through commercial kitchens, building repairs and more,” Stenman said.

As a leanly staffed foundation, a key component of the foundation’s work is grounded in flexibility and adaptability. Stieg and Stenman emphasized the importance of dialogue and building relationships with nonprofit partners to ensure needs are being met.

“We may be a small staff, but we encourage all foundations to consider talking to those doing the work on the ground. That is a priority for us,” Stenman said.

Even if an organization may not fall within the foundation’s priority areas, having a conversation provides an opportunity to connect them with the best resources to address their needs.

“We can’t do our work without our nonprofit partners. They’re the ones on the ground doing the hard work; we’re here to give assistance,” Stenman said.

Stieg shared that open dialogue with its nonprofit partners allows the foundation to support and simplify the grantmaking application process.

“I enjoy talking to people on the phone to discuss their proposals. We can also suggest modifications so that it is the best possible submission to fit their needs,” Stieg said.

The foundation has also prioritized the need for transparency and intentionality in early conversations with potential nonprofit partners. Particularly in recent years, amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation has seen an increase in the needs of its nonprofit partners, resulting in very competitive grantmaking rounds.

“Healthy early dialogue has been essential since the COVID-19 pandemic. We are trying to be very intentional in our conversations, be transparent with people, and discuss the best timeline for their submission. We want everybody who submits a proposal to be in the best position possible,” Stenman said.

Stieg shared that understanding the needs of the organization applying and the timing of their projects is often more readily understood through conversations, resulting in a consensus.

“It’s a dance trying to meet everyone’s needs. That’s why transparency and early discussions help. The organization then has the ability to say, ‘We can start with a specific project to begin and continue in the future.’ It’s all about getting on the same page where organizational needs and donor intent are met,” Stieg said.