Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation

306 South University Avenue Mount Pleasant, MI, 48858 United States

(989) 773-7322

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Isabella County, now and for generations to come, by attracting and holding permanent endowed funds from a wide range of donors, addressing needs through grant making and providing leadership on key community issues.

2026 Scholarship Celebration

June 02, 2026  /  Liz Conway

We are still floating like grad party balloons after last night’s Scholarship Celebration at the Courtyard Marriott.

Our amazing scholars and generous donors came to meet and celebrate along with families, mentors, fund advisors, board and committee members, and friends.

Out of over 2,500 applicants, 109 students were chosen for this honor, for a total of $227,025 in scholarship awards!

So many people make this night possible, but we’d like to especially thank our 173 scholarship reviewers who painstakingly sifted through hundreds of applications to select these talented students. We’d also like to thank Doozie's Ice Cream Place for making the evening extra sweet with an ice cream bar for our attendees. And last but definitely not least, thanks to our beloved board member, scholarship reviewer, and photographer extraordinaire, Dan Gaken, who captured so many priceless moments from the evening.

Thank you so much for a wonderful scholarship season!

6th Annual Kay's Way Supply Drive

May 27, 2026  /  Gretchen Furst

Members from Women's Initiative, RISE Advocacy and The Care Store gather at Krapohl Ford to pick up donations for Kay's Way.

Members from Women's Initiative, RISE Advocacy and The Care Store gather at Krapohl Ford to pick up donations for Kay's Way.

Picture of Mary Anne Zang from Zonta Club of Mt. Pleasant dropping off donations for Kay's Way.

Picture of Mary Anne Zang from Zonta Club of Mt. Pleasant dropping off donations for Kay's Way.

What a great display of community and giving!  

Thank you to everyone who donated during the 6th Annual Kay’s Way Supply Drive, hosted by the MPACF Women’s Initiative. The drive honors community philanthropist Kay Krapohl Smith and supported The Care Store and RISE Advocacy this year. Running from May 7-22, the event brought in donations ranging from hygiene items, cleaning supplies, household essentials, and online support for the community.  

During Kay’s Way Oil Change on May 21, Krapohl Ford donated 100% of the proceeds, totaling $3,050!  

In addition to these efforts, hundreds of items were donated to uplift local women and girls in Isabella County. Members from the Women’s Initiative Committee collected and sorted the donations and distributed them to RISE Advocacy and The Care Store. Thank you to these members and organizations for your hard work and dedication to our community.

Thank you to Krapohl Ford and Weichert Realtors Broadway Realty for being donation sites in Mt. Pleasant throughout the whole event, and for your generosity as sponsors of the event.

Thank you to the Zonta Club of Mt. Pleasant for collecting donations and supporting this initiative.

Finally, thank you to everyone who gave donations, spread the word, and dedicated time and energy to this year's drive. We appreciate all the generosity and support of the 6th Annual Kay’s Way Drive.

Continue giving online to these causes and leave a legacy through a financial donation to the Women’s Initiative Fund at Women's Initiative Fund — Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation. 

Key Focus Areas in early 2026

March 20, 2026  /  Liz Conway

Daybreak Mt. Pleasant on March 19, 2026. Photo courtesy of Cassandra Chippeway, Mt. Pleasant Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining seven fellow community leaders at the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce’s Daybreak Mt. Pleasant breakfast to share the work shaping our community’s future. I wanted to take a moment to share a snapshot of that conversation with you.

Over the past year, the Community Foundation partnered with Lumen Impact Group to develop our next strategic plan, focused on continued growth and impact. As we begin implementing that work, we’re already seeing exciting momentum across several key areas.

Education and Scholarships

We know that individuals who pursue education beyond high school, whether through a degree, certification, or skilled trade, experience stronger long-term outcomes. While scholarships have always been central to our mission, we are evolving our approach to provide more meaningful and multi-year support. Our goal is to help students not only start their journey but complete it.

Growing Permanent Community Resources

Building endowments remains at the core of what we do. These funds ensure that resources are available not just today, but for generations to come. One of the most visible ways this comes to life is through Give Local Isabella on May 5. This year, we’re offering more matching funds and prizes than ever before. If you’ve never participated, it’s a powerful and easy way to support the causes you care about most.

Investing in Youth

Since the 1990s, our Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) has helped elevate the voices of young people in our community. This year, the YAC is conducting our Youth Needs Assessment, a critical tool that helps us better understand the challenges and opportunities facing local youth. The results directly inform our grantmaking and guide where we invest for the greatest impact.

Strengthening Childcare

We are also launching a new initiative: the Childcare Innovation and Capacity Building RFP, which opens on April 1. This effort will support projects that expand childcare capacity and encourage innovative solutions to strengthen the system across Isabella County.

Collaboration and connection are at the center of our work at the Community Foundation. When nonprofits, local government, businesses, healthcare partners, the Tribe, and educational institutions align efforts, we can make meaningful progress on complex community challenges.

I’m proud of our work and even more excited about what lies ahead for both the Community Foundation and Isabella County. The future is something we’re building together.

Liz Conway, CEO/COO

Fund Spotlight: A Corner Built on Love

March 19, 2026  /  Liz Conway

In a quiet corner of the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant, small hands reach for colorful books and little voices sound out letters for the very first time. Hand-crafted, Amish-built bookshelves line the walls alongside original artwork, and a framed photograph of a four-year-old girl hangs gently low, right at eye level with the children she never got to grow up beside. This is Kara's Korner, and its story begins not with a ribbon-cutting, but with a mother's love that refused to be silenced by loss.

Kathy Preston is a mother and former special education teacher who believes that reading is the greatest gift you could give a child. When her youngest daughter Kara was killed in an accident at home in 1981 at just four years old, a friend offered a quiet suggestion: do something to keep her memory alive. So in 1985, Kathy channeled her grief into action, using donations from Kara's funeral and the community to gather books, bookshelves, artwork, and even an aquarium, transforming a library corner into a magical sanctuary for young readers. Those original Amish-built bookcases and pieces of that first art contest still stand today, along with Kara's photo, hung purposely low so she can be eye level with every child who comes to read.

"Reading is the most important subject. Having a place for preschoolers to start reading and learn to enjoy it is so important…and Kara has brought that to us." - Kathy Preston

In 2014, Kathy discovered the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation and found a way to give Kara's Korner the one thing it had always needed: a future. By establishing the Kara's Korner Preschool Library Fund, she ensured the space - and Kara's memory - would live on forever. Today, Kathy still stops in from time to time, and what she finds there never fails to move her: young families reading together, children pointing at pictures, a community of learners gathered in a space built entirely out of love. "It's heartwarming to know her little corner will never die because of the funds at the Foundation," she says. To visit, go to the Veterans Memorial Library or donate to the Kara's Korner Preschool Library Fund at Kara's Korner Preschool Library Fund — Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation. Interested in starting a fund of your own? Reach out to us today.

Youth Advisory Committee Launches 2026 Youth Needs Assessment Survey

March 04, 2026  /  Liz Conway

The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation is preparing to launch its 2026 Youth Needs Assessment Survey, an important initiative designed to better understand the experiences, challenges, and interests of youth in Isabella County.

Youth Needs Assessment

YAC is a student-led committee that focuses on supporting youth throughout the county. Members award grants to organizations that provide meaningful, safe, and engaging opportunities for young people. In addition to grantmaking, YAC members actively participate in community service projects such as Christmas Outreach, the Lions Chicken BBQ, and other local initiatives.

Every few years, the committee conducts a Youth Needs Assessment Survey to gather direct feedback from students about their perspectives and needs. The survey is administered to 8th and 10th grade students and provides valuable insight that helps guide youth-focused programming, funding decisions, and community initiatives.

The 2026 survey will be conducted online and includes questions focused on students’ perspectives about community issues, opportunities, and their overall experiences as young people in Isabella County. This year’s survey has been streamlined to improve clarity and reduce completion time for students.

Once responses are collected and analyzed, results will be shared with participating schools. Each school will receive a report based on responses from its students, along with a countywide summary highlighting broader trends and insights across Isabella County. This information helps schools, nonprofits, and community leaders better understand youth perspectives and identify areas where additional support or opportunities may be needed.

In past years, Beal City Public Schools, Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, Sacred Heart Academy, and Shepherd Public Schools have participated in the survey, and the Foundation hopes to gather responses from all 8th and 10th grade students across Isabella County this year.

The survey will be open March 9 through March 23, 2026, closing at 11:59 p.m. Schools are encouraged to administer the survey during the school day to make participation easy for students.

The survey is completely confidential. Students will not provide their names, and all responses will be reported only in aggregate form.

Community leaders and educators recognize that one of the most effective ways to support young people is to listen to their voices. The Youth Needs Assessment Survey helps ensure that decisions made by schools, nonprofits, and community partners reflect the real needs and priorities of Isabella County’s youth.


Take the Survey

Tera Albrecht to be Donor Services Officer

January 20, 2026  /  Liz Conway

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation has named Tera Albrecht as its new Donor Services Officer. In this role, Albrecht will work with donors and prospective donors, support fundraising and stewardship, and help build relationships that support the Foundation’s mission.

With experience in higher education, donor relations, and customer service, Albrecht brings strong organizational skills, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for people. She previously supported Foundation operations and donor records, and now focuses on serving the Foundation’s donors and fundholders.

“Tera is a natural relationship-builder,” said Liz Conway, CEO/COO of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation. “She is thoughtful, dependable, and deeply committed to this community. Her ability to connect with people and manage details with care makes her an excellent fit for this role, and we’re excited to see her grow our donor services work.”

Originally from Sandusky, Michigan, Albrecht has established deep roots in Isabella County. After earning her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University, she built a career at CMU dedicated to supporting student-athletes and advancing academic success, including serving as Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services.

Albrecht’s commitment to philanthropy is also personal. Her family established the David W. and Judith A. Albrecht Family Scholarship Fund at the Sanilac County Community Foundation, supporting youth and education in honor of her parents. Locally, she serves as Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator at Faith Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant, where she works closely with Compass Point youth programming.

Thank you Linda Morey and Bob Long

January 19, 2026  /  Liz Conway

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation is deeply grateful to Linda Morey and Bob Long for their service and leadership on our Board of Trustees.

Linda Morey joined the Board in 2017 and has been a thoughtful, passionate advocate for the Foundation ever since. During her tenure, she served as Grant Review Committee Chair, was an active member of the Scholarship Committee, and contributed her leadership through the Women’s Initiative Advisory Board and Women’s Initiative Committee. In addition to serving on the Board, Linda has also supported the Foundation as a sponsor and fund advisor.

Linda Morey Quote

Bob Long first joined the Board in 2009, served through 2019, and returned in 2021, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to the Community Foundation and our mission. He served as Board President in 2014, chairing “just about everything,” and contributing across numerous committees, including Governance, Scholarship, Facilities, Finance, and HR. Like Linda, Bob has also supported the Foundation as a sponsor and fund advisor.

Bob Long Quote

We thank Bob and Linda for their years of service and belief in the power of local philanthropy. Their impact will continue to be felt throughout the Community Foundation and the Isabella County.

Community Foundation seeking Administrative Officer

December 08, 2025  /  Liz Conway

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation (MPACF) is seeking a highly organized and service-minded Administrative Officer to support the daily operations of the Foundation. This role provides administrative, bookkeeping/accounting, and clerical support while serving as a welcoming point of contact for community members, donors, grantees, and visitors. The Administrative Officer plays a key role in helping the Foundation advance its mission and strategic priorities, including the growth of endowed funds, effective grantmaking, leadership in community issues, and donor engagement.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Administrative

  • Prepare and distribute Board and Committee meeting materials; take accurate meeting minutes.

  • Coordinate event logistics (RSVPs, materials, set-up, clean-up).

  • Manage Hersee House meeting room scheduling for external organizations.

  • Assist the Donor Services Officer with donor/fund representative correspondence and bulk mailings.

  • Support the Program Officer with grantmaking and scholarship processes (record keeping, applicant status updates, agreement forms).

  • Train and schedule volunteer reception ambassadors; guide student interns.

2. Bookkeeping/Accounting

  • Maintain donor and gift records in the database (e.g., CommunitySuite).

  • Prepare and make bank deposits; manage payment of invoices with CEO/COO approval.

  • Enter financial information, monitor bank accounts, and generate financial reports.

  • Coordinate with an external accountant to close monthly and annual records; prepare materials for annual audit.

3. Clerical

  • Greet office visitors and callers courteously, direct inquiries appropriately.

  • Handle incoming/outgoing mail; maintain filing systems in accordance with Foundation policies.

  • Monitor office supply levels and maintain office equipment.

  • Maintain a professional, organized workspace.

Required Qualifications

• Education & Technical Skills

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; post-secondary education or relevant certification preferred.

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and basic accounting/bookkeeping software (e.g., QuickBooks or similar).

• Administrative & Organizational Skills

  • Demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.

  • Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in record keeping.

• Communication & Interpersonal Skills

  • Strong written and verbal communication; ability to interact with a diverse range of constituents.

  • Collaborative mindset; capable of working effectively as part of a small team.

• Professionalism & Confidentiality

  • Commitment to maintaining confidentiality when handling donor, financial, and grant-related information.

  • Positive attitude, flexibility, and a willingness to learn.

Wage range: $20-$23 an hour, commensurate with experience. Benefits include paid time off, health care, group life insurance, and retirement options. 

 

The Foundation: Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation (MPACF) serves as a focal point for philanthropy in Isabella County, Michigan. The mission of MPACF is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Isabella County, now and for generations to come, by attracting and holding permanent endowed funds from a wide range of donors, addressing needs through grantmaking, and providing leadership on key community issues. 

How to Apply: Please email Liz Conway, CEO/COO at lconway@mpacf.org with “Administrative Officer” in the subject line. Include 1) a resume, 2) a cover letter addressing relevant experience and why you are interested in this position, and 3) a list of three references. No hard copy submissions, please. For best consideration please apply before January 9, 2026.

The position will remain open until filled. The Foundation reserves the right to close the recruitment process once a sufficient applicant pool has been identified.

MPACF is an equal-opportunity employer.

categories / Events

2025 Annual Breakfast Recap

November 21, 2025  /  Liz Conway

On November 6, nearly 200 community members, nonprofit partners, donors, and local leaders came together to celebrate 35 years of philanthropy at Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation’s Annual Breakfast.

Board Vice President Dr. Emma Powell opened the morning with gratitude for our generous sponsors and a look at the year’s accomplishments. The Foundation granted more than $1 million to local nonprofits, awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships to 120 students, and saw record participation in Give Local Isabella.

Liz Conway, CEO/COO, spoke about the evolving role of philanthropy and her first year in this work. She shared the Foundation’s new three-year strategic plan and highlighted ongoing challenges in Isabella County, including childcare shortages, poverty and ALICE rates, and access to healthcare. Liz encouraged the community to work together and lean into solutions that create long-term impact.

A special moment came with the announcement of a matching gift to grow our Community Impact Funds. Paul Alexander and Mt. Pleasant Abstract and Title are generously matching gifts from now through Giving Tuesday.

Our keynote speaker, Kyle Caldwell, President and CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations, shared insight on trends and challenges in philanthropy. He discussed the growth of the nonprofit sector, the importance of trust-based giving, and the pressures nonprofits face in today’s climate. Kyle also spoke about the leadership role community foundations play in bringing people together and supporting long-term community needs.

The morning was filled with gratitude, energy, and a strong sense of community. Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to support this important work.

We can. We must. And together, we will.