Statewide Equity Fund Strategic Support Pilot

Overview

The Statewide Equity Fund (SEF) is a $2 million CMF member-driven fund to empower Michigan philanthropy to strategically pool resources toward systemic change. 

The SEF Strategic Support Pilot was designed to provide the infrastructure needed to help shape American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and other federal dollars toward equity-centered approaches to advance economic prosperity in communities. 

Through the pilot, five regional collaborative sites, led by CMF members, are working closely with their local units of government to help shape investments toward equitable outcomes within the focus area of economic prosperity. 

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Community Foundation of Marquette County, Grand Rapids Community Foundation and the Pontiac Funders Collaborative served as the regional collaborative site leads piloting this work in their respective geographic service areas. 

The pilot:

• Provided the regional collaboratives with information on state and federal funding policy as well as opportunities to shape federal funding and inventory philanthropy’s investments. 
• Connected regional collaboratives with technical assistance providers to share innovative approaches, metrics and tools to help inform investments. 
• Created spaces for shared learning across regions with peer-to-peer exchange and learning opportunities with similar models underway across the country. 

This work is rooted in the understanding that philanthropy has a critical role as a convenor, bridge builder and advocate for equitable, inclusive, community-centered decision-making.

Visit our SEF Sites in Action to view highlights from each site. 

“We funded this SEF work with three goals: to ensure equity was at the heart of ARPA fund distribution; to ensure community participation in budgeting; and to build and deepen cross-sector partnerships with foundations and municipalities.”
– Wendy Lewis Jackson, Managing Director, Detroit Program, The Kresge Foundation 

Lessons learned from the SEF informed the CMF/DNR Spark Grant Program Partnership, brokered by OFL, between CMF and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to ensure that community voice is centered in expanding access to recreation spaces and programs for communities that have been historically under-represented and under-resourced. We are capturing learnings along the way and identifying areas where public policy can be strengthened to allow for greater responsiveness to these unique and innovative partnerships. 

The learning and insights that emerge from this work will inform long-term strategies for Michigan philanthropy to advance equity-centered approaches, collectively.