Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL) in Michigan is one of the oldest and most successful efforts to bring government and private philanthropic resources together to achieve better outcomes for people in communities, particularly those most marginalized. Founded with leadership from foundation executives and the strong support of the governor, OFL has continued to be effective in aligning resources across three gubernatorial administrations of different political parties. OFL provides a structure for coordination within and across government and philanthropy, helping to develop shared priorities that then lead to co-investments in innovative and equitable approaches to addressing community needs.

This document is based on the multi-year evaluation of OFL, along with interviews with its founders and of leaders of similar offices in other states and regions.