The Kalamazoo Community Foundation and Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation are again partnering with the Consumers Energy Foundation to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color nonprofit leaders’ wellness, promote diverse cultural experiences, create inclusive spaces for youth and more.
Several CMF members across the state continue to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts within the communities they serve in various ways, such as supporting nonprofit leaders’ wellness, promoting diverse cultural experiences, creating inclusive spaces for youth and more.
The Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) and Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation (GTRCF) have each partnered with the Consumers Energy Foundation in support of their DEI efforts.
The Consumers Energy Foundation awarded $20,000 each to KZCF and GTRCF as part of its second round of funding to local organizations across the state actively engaged in DEI initiatives.
This grant will again go toward KZCF’s Sustaining Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC) Leaders initiative, which was created to provide rest, respite, professional development, executive coaching and wellness grants to local nonprofit leaders.
“We know that the strongest, most prosperous and resilient communities are built when everyone has a seat at the planning table,” Cathy Wilson, incoming secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation, said. “Yet the reality is that the struggle for equity doesn’t end simply by getting more voices of color in a room — it also requires ensuring the people behind those voices have access to the resources they need to thrive. The Consumers Energy Foundation is proud to continue supporting the KZCF and their work to support the next inclusive generation of Kalamazoo County leadership.”
Lily Salas, community investment officer at KZCF and team lead on the initiative, is grateful for the grant and what it will help the team accomplish.
“It is reassuring to know that more funders believe in this work, and of course, it feels fantastic to be awarded the grant a second time around. Aside from affirming our work, it provides additional resources to support more leaders,” Salas said.
In 2022, KZCF completed its first round of funding, offering $60,000 in total grant awards to 28 local nonprofit leaders. The main requests were for healing and wellness, professional development and taking a sabbatical or leave of absence.
“We received powerful testimony from leaders who received grants in 2022 indicating the support helped them gain new leadership skills, rest and restore so they can feel more intentional, effective and resilient in their work,” Salas said.
With this current round of awards from Consumers Energy Foundation toward GTRCF’s DEI Fund, GTRCF has provided awards to 10 organizations across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau Counties, as well as the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe.
According to GTRCF, its DEI Fund supports equity and inclusion efforts across the region, including primarily providing support for organizations led by community members of color, including BIPOC individuals, as well as LGBTQ+, immigrant, neurodiverse, veteran and/or disability community members.
GTRCF shared that trainings, programs and other partners advancing equity and inclusion are also considered.
According to Salas, she looks forward to continuing to support BIPOC community leaders in Kalamazoo County as they engage in transformational work.
“I would like community leaders to know that we see all of their hard work and passion poured daily into our community. We hope to be able to continue to provide resources for rest in future years and influence the philanthropy sector so that these resources expand and become more accessible,” Salas said.
As CMF reported in its 2022 Annual Report, Our CMF Community: Advancing Equity for Transformative Change, Consumers Energy Foundation shared that the foundation’s long-time partnership, track record of success at the local level and strong relationships with community foundation leadership led to the creation of their DEI Pilot Program.
Consumers Energy Foundation began to fulfill its commitment to embed DEI into its work at the local level with its first round of funding to community foundations, including CMF members KZCF and GTRCF, in early 2022.
Want more?
Learn more about how the Kalamazoo Community Foundation has continued its work to support BIPOC nonprofit leaders in Kalamazoo County.
Explore how other CMF members are collaborating to support their nonprofit partners in CMF’s 2022 Annual Report.
Learn more about Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation’s DEI Fund.
