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.

Give Local Isabella raises $100,000 in 24 hours

May 17, 2021  /  Guest User

Twenty-one local charitable organizations benefit from first time event

More than 300 donors supported local charitable organizations during the first-ever Give Local Isabella. Held on May 4, 2021, the social media-driven, crowdfunding opportunity engaged 21 local charitable organizations in a 24-hour fundraising competition. The communitywide event, hosted by the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, raised $100,604.00.

“It was an amazing day and the community is the big winner,” said Kate Connors, Executive Director at Life Choices of Central Michigan.

Organizations with endowment funds held by the Foundation were eligible to participate in this historic giving event, utilizing an online platform to engage current and new community members in causes ranging from health and wellness to poverty and hunger. “We were able to raise awareness and spread the word on social media,” said Connors.

“It was wonderful to check in throughout the day and see all of the generosity and involvement in our community,” said Kirstie Mason, Development Director for R.I.S.E. Advocacy. Donations ranged from $10-$2,000 online, reminding us that everyone can be a philanthropist. When the clock struck midnight, 332 donors had made gifts totaling $49,504.

Organizations competed for $5,000 in prizes during the event. A list of verified prize winning organizations can be viewed at https://www.givelocalisabella.org/prizes.

In addition, $45,000 in match was distributed to participating organizations according to the percentage of total dollars raised. Renaissance Public School Academy, Chippewa Watershed Conservancy, and Community Compassion Network raised the most during the event. A full leaderboard can be view at https://www.givelocalisabella.org/leaderboards.

The prizes and match dollars were all part of an incentive pool committed by Mt. Pleasant Abstract & Title. President Paul Alexander thought an event focused on many charitable organizations in the community was a great way to celebrate his company’s 40th anniversary. “This day has raised money, promoted involvement and elevated awareness of the inspiring work of Mt. Pleasant area charitable organizations,” he said. While local charitable organizations spend most of the year fundraising for day-to-day operations, Give Local Isabella is an opportunity to spend one day—24 hours—focused on the sustainability of these important agencies. “Mt. Pleasant Abstract & Title is proud to sponsor this inaugural event.”

Amanda Schafer and Paul Alexander check presentation

Alexander presented a $50,000 check to Amanda Schafer, CEO of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, last week. Upon accepting it, Schafer was told that an additional $1,000 check was also present—a gift from another entity wanting to thank Mt. Pleasant Abstract & Title for 40 years of service. As a result, two weeks post-event, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation was able to report final, verified donations totaling $100,604.

“Days like (Give Local Isabella) really help remind me of the outpouring of love regularly exhibited by members of this community,” said Mason.

Save the Date: Join the fun and give where you live during next year’s Give Local Isabella scheduled for May 3, 2022.

Women's Initiative Pivots from Kay's Day to Kay's Way

April 27, 2021  /  Guest User

Out of an abundance of caution, the Women's Initiative will not host the annual Kay's Day social event this year. Instead, this creative group of women are pivoting to support women and girls throughout Isabella County in a new way. Join them for Kay's Way: A Supply Drive for The Care Store May 10-26, 2021.

In partnership with Weichert Realtors/Broadway Realty and Krapohl Ford & Lincoln, the Women’s Initiative will collect feminine hygiene/care supplies like tampons, pads, hair products, lotions, soaps, bath and body products, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Collection sites include Krapohl Ford & Lincoln on Pickard and Weichert Realtors on Broadway. The Women's Initiative will attempt to fill an F-150 truck with supplies for local women and girls by May 26. All supplies will be donated to The Care Store for distribution to those in need right here in our community.

Kay's Way Flyer

Give Local Isabella Debuts May 4 with 24 hours of communitywide fundraising

March 18, 2021  /  Guest User

Area charitable organizations will compete for $50,000 in matching funds

Give Local Isabella is the rally call for a 24-hour, communitywide fundraising event hosted by the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.

Debuting May 4, Give Local Isabella is a social media-driven, crowdfunding opportunity for nonprofits to engage existing and new donors as they compete for a pool of $50,000 in endowment support.

“As we head toward spring and see promising signs of the future, Give Local Isabella will be a fun, energized day that celebrates community,” said Amanda Schafer, the foundation’s CEO. “May 4 will show what’s possible when we come together to build each other up.”

Organizations with endowment funds held by the foundation are eligible to participate in this historic giving event. In addition to the donations they’ll encourage for their particular causes at givelocalisabella.org, the organizations will compete for $50,000 in matching funds.

The funds have been committed by Mt. Pleasant Abstract & Title. President Paul Alexander believes wholeheartedly in local community and these charitable organizations, Schafer said.

“One day. One community. Save the date and plan to give because, every dollar goes further on May 4. Everyone can be a philanthropist during Give Local Isabella. It’s about pulling together and giving forward. We can’t wait to see the energy and excitement this generates throughout the community.”

2020: A Year in Review

March 01, 2021  /  Guest User

Thirty years ago in December, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation was fully recognized by the IRS as a public charity – a 501(c)3 organization as determined by the Internal Revenue Code. Unlike the Foundation’s 25th anniversary in 2015, there could be no gala event bringing together community members to celebrate this next milestone. Like most local nonprofits, the Foundation had to adapt in 2020 to meet the needs of donors, scholarship and grant recipients, community partners, and local leaders.

“We had to be creative this year,” said Board President Mary Ann O’Neil. “Committees and the Board met virtually, altered plans to connect with donors, sought out new ways to be supportive of our grant recipient organizations, and tried to utilize our network to amplify important messaging in the community.”

The Foundation produced its first Planned Giving Guide in 2020, but in-person meetings to discuss giving options were a challenge. Instead, the Foundation mailed free copies of the Guide to donors by request and to local attorneys who specialize in will and estate planning.

Eight new funds were established in 2020 at the Foundation, including a temporary COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Isabella County started in March. Before any new money was raised, the Foundation committed $100,000 in existing resources to local organizations impacted by the virus. This amount covered all Community Response grant requests awarded by the United Way for nonprofits in Isabella County in 2020. Remaining grant funds are now available for distribution in 2021.

In April, ninety-five community volunteers met in creative ways to review 1,077 scholarship applications, and ultimately the Foundation awarded 106 scholarships totaling $120,100 during a virtual celebration in June.

Fundraising has been difficult for most local nonprofit organizations during the pandemic, making it even more important for the Foundation to deploy resources to those working to meet critical needs. For the second consecutive year, the Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants in 2020. Two competitive grant rounds resulted in July and November awards, more than 30 organization funds were tapped by local nonprofits, and those with donor advised funds stepped up in a big way to recommend more than $400,000 in spending. Over the course of the last thirty years, the Foundation has granted more than $9 million total.

The Foundation strives to be a resource to those we serve, and that includes supporting the organizations to which we have granted financial resources. In the early months of the pandemic, the Foundation offered weekly support sessions online for local nonprofits trying to identify resources and problem solve. We covered everything from PPE sources to PPP loan qualifications. Strong relationships with community foundations in northern Michigan meant that a Leadership Learning Lab could still be offered, remotely, to local nonprofit leaders. More than thirty organizations serving Isabella County residents also gained access to skills-based volunteers on a virtual platform called Catchafire, for help with operational and capacity-building projects. This kind of assistance safeguards our financial investment in the local organizations that make real impact on members of our community. It is an extension of the stewardship our donors have come to expect.

Not only does the Foundation help people find and fund the causes they love; but we also seek to cultivate bold solutions for a strong, vibrant, and inclusive community. The Foundation supported a second year of publication for Epicenter Mt. Pleasant in 2020, with help from key funding partners like Dow, Isabella Bank, and MidMichigan Health. The weekly, community-based publication continues to gain new subscribers and grow in engaged readership across social media. Collaboration with community foundations in Bay, Midland and Saginaw resulted in a regional approach to increase Census 2020 completion rates because we know an accurate count is vital for federal funding of education, economic development, housing, public health, and critical infrastructure.

Approached by WNEM-TV5 in May, the Foundation collaborated with Central Michigan University, Shepherd Public Schools and multiple law enforcement agencies to distribute more than 20,000 free cloth masks throughout Isabella County. The Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) created a video thanking essential workers for their efforts, and subsequently received the Russell G. Mawby Media Usage of the Year Award from the Michigan Community Foundations Youth Project (MCFYP). #MaskUpIsabella, a campaign to encourage community members to wear face coverings in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, was launched this fall. The Foundation hosted a #Unselfie Photo Contest in November and ten Isabella County residents received $100 local gift cards for submitting masked photos of themselves, further encouraging safety precautions, local giving, and local shopping.

The Foundation could not host social events this summer, or its annual breakfast this fall. Instead, Board and staff used the time to submit updated policies and procedures to assure compliance with the latest standards for community foundations. Staff saw the challenge of working remotely as an opportunity to begin the yearlong process of transitioning to a new platform for fund accounting, donor communication, online giving, grant and scholarship management. #GivingTuesday on December 1 marked the first online giving campaign utilizing the new system. Board members offered personal gifts of $7,500 as match, challenging community members to give to Community Impact Funds via the Foundation’s website. More than $16,000 was raised and will add to the dollars invested for the benefit of Isabella County’s future.

2020 presented challenges unlike any previous year, but the Foundation’s resolve to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Isabella County remained the same. The Foundation is grateful for the support of our annual sponsors and professional advisors, the commitment to 100% giving among our Board and staff, the dedication of nearly 200 volunteers serving on committees, the generosity of donors of all ages making gifts of all sizes, and the resiliency shown by local organizations meeting the direct needs of our community this year. Foundation staff look forward to greeting community members at the Hersee House once again in 2021. Exciting things are already happening with the Community Foundation in 2021. We have some big announcements coming up, so make sure to subscribe to the Foundation’s e-newsletter Community Matters via mpacf.org, or follow us on social media channels for the latest updates.

Community Foundation Welcomes New Directors

February 01, 2021  /  Guest User

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of two new directors to its Board: Damon Brown and Angie Evans.

L to R: Damon Brown and Angie Evans. Underneath, MPACF logo

Damon Brown is the Vice President for Student Affairs at Alma College, where he oversees a broad portfolio focused on the student experience.  Prior to joining Alma College, Brown worked at Central Michigan University in the Student Affairs division. For over 20 years, Brown has been active and engaged in the Mt. Pleasant community where he lives with his daughter. He leads the Kiesha Y. Brown Angel Wings Fund, an organization named for his late wife that provides resources and support to individuals and families battling cancer.

Brown has served on the Community Foundation’s Scholarship Committee for several years. In addition, he serves on the Summer Games Committee for Michigan Special Olympics and is the head coach of the girls varsity basketball team at Sacred Heart Academy. “I am excited to be part of an organization committed to improving our community and bettering the lives of those that live in it,” Brown shares.

Angie Evans is Marketing Consultant and on-air afternoon host for 95.3 CFX. Over the last 14 years, she has formed bonds with many throughout the local community. “I am very passionate about our community and making sure everyone, especially kids, feels safe emotionally and physically. I have chosen to get involved in community organizations that believe the same,” Evans says. She has served on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region, has been a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Gratiot County, and was previously Board Chair for United Way of Gratiot and Isabella Counties. When she is not spending time with her husband Danny and three stepchildren, Evans volunteers on the Morey FlexTech School Board and is part of the communications committee for the Isabella County Restoration House.

Evans has been active on the Community Foundation’s Scholarship and Community Relations Committees. “When an organization like MPACF can help identify community needs and be a leader to get those needs met,” she said, “and also create ways to propel our community and the people in it forward, you can’t help but want to be a part of that level of difference making!”

Brown and Evans replace outgoing directors Al Kaufmann and Lon Morey. They join twenty-two community leaders who represent a wide range of professional expertise and organizational experience: Paul Alexander, Joe Fleming, Cheryl Gaudard, Dyke Heinze, Eileen Jennings, John Jensen, Dave Keilitz, Rick McGuirk, Linda Morey, Mary Ann O'Neil, Marcie Otteman, Emma Powell, Steve Pung, Nancy Ridley, Erika Ross, Brian Rush, Matthew Showalter, Mark Smith, Michelle Sponseller, Jan Strickler, Bob Wheeler, and Bryan Wieferich. The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that seeks 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. To learn more about the Community Foundation, visit www.mpacf.org.

Foundation Accepting Applications for 100+ Scholarships

January 05, 2021  /  Guest User

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation (MPACF) is now accepting applications for more than one hundred (100) scholarships. Most are available to local students who will be completing their senior year of high school or GED this spring. There are also more than a dozen scholarship opportunities for students already enrolled in, or planning to return to, some form of higher education. Frequently asked questions and a link to the online application system can be found at mpacf.org. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend a virtual Scholarship Information Session on Thursday, January 14 at 4:00 pm. The session recording may be viewed here.

Individual scholarship opportunities will be featured on the Foundation’s Facebook page over the next several weeks. The 2021 scholarship application deadline is 4 pm on Wednesday, March 3.

For information about starting or contributing to an endowed fund that makes these annual opportunities possible, contact CEO Amanda Schafer at (989) 773-7322.

Ten #Unselfie Contest Winners Receive Gift Cards from Foundation

December 30, 2020  /  Guest User

In an effort to encourage community members to wear face coverings to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation (MPACF) recently hosted a #Unselfie Photo Contest. Community member participants submitted photos of themselves wearing a mask, referred to as an #Unselfie, for the opportunity to win one of ten $100 local gift cards.

#Unselfie Photo Contest winners include Erin Bennett, Amanda Boyle, Shane Patrick Boyle, Allison Chiodini, Linda Colburn, Alysha Fisher, Matt Hewitt, Abidullah Israr, Karmen McNicol, and Makia Robinson, all of Mt. Pleasant.

Contest winners claimed their prizes earlier this month, and shared their thoughts about the contest themes. Excerpt below:

“The Chiodini family would like to thank the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation as well as the local businesses and donors that contributed to the #MaskUpIsabella #Unselfie Photo Contest,” said Allison Chiodini. “We are very honored and thankful to receive the prize of a local gift card, and are also thankful and happy to support local businesses here in our community! In the days, weeks and months ahead, we need to keep doing our part in our community, to protect our community, by continuing our efforts to #MaskUp when we are out in public places. Now, more than ever we can also do our part in our community, to protect those in our community, by shopping local, eating local and giving local this holiday season.”

Congratulations Unselfie Photo Contest winners include Erin Bennett, Amanda Boyle, Shane Patrick Boyle, Allison Chiodini, Linda Colburn, Alysha Fisher, Matt Hewitt, Abidullah Israr, Karmen McNicol, and Makia Robinson.

#Unselfie Photo Contest

November 13, 2020  /  Guest User

Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation Board and staff members encourage community members to wear face coverings in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We choose to #MaskUpIsabella because this simple act of kindness and respect conveys our commitment to the community as a whole.

#MaskUpIsabella to keep our schools open. #MaskUpIsabella to keep our local businesses open. #MaskUpIsabella to keep our community open. #MaskUpIsabella because there is transformative power in doing something good for one another.

Learn more

YAC Receives Award

October 02, 2020  /  Guest User

2020 YAC of the Year Award

The Mt. Pleasant Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) recently received a 2020 YAC of the Year Award from the Michigan Community Foundations Youth Project (MCFYP) Committee for creating a video thanking essential workers for their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MPACF’s YAC received the Russell G. Mawby Media Usage of the Year Award, which is given to a YAC that has utilized social media in their work in a unique, creative, or impactful way.   

“This video was a unique way for Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation YAC to show support to the community during such an unprecedented time,” said MPACF’s YAC advisor, Emma Powell. “The video demonstrated empathy, care, time, and energy to ensure the unsung heroes during this time were showcased and that their efforts did not go unnoticed by the youth of our Isabella County community.” 

To see the YAC’s video thanking essential workers, visit youtube.com/watch?v=iRslA-XQSXo.

YAC group photo
tags / YAC

MPACF, Other Local Organizations Partner with Catchafire to Bring Virtual Support to 200+ Nonprofits

June 24, 2020  /  Guest User

Nine funders from the Great Lakes Bay Region (Midland Area Community Foundation,  United Way of Midland County, Saginaw Community Foundation, United Way of Saginaw County, Bay Area Community Foundation, United Way of Bay County, Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties, and Greenleaf Trust), are thrilled to partner with Catchafire to bring time-sensitive, virtual support to more than 200 nonprofit organizations in the Great Lakes Bay region. Through this partnership, invited nonprofits will have access to skills-based volunteers on Catchafire’s virtual platform, where they can complete any number of operational or capacity-building projects together. This support will empower our nonprofit community to pivot within today’s workplace and environment to assure they are meeting the expectations and needs of the communities they serve. The Great Lakes Bay Region in particular has experienced multiple stressors in recent months, and Catchafire comes with tangible resources to help nonprofits respond and recover in the short term, and build resilience in the long term.

“To continue our support for capacity building among Isabella County nonprofit organizations, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation is pleased to join with funders throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region in the launch of Catchafire,” said CEO Amanda Schafer. “More than thirty organizations serving Isabella County residents will now have access to this incredible virtual platform at no cost,” she added. “That means stronger, more efficient organizations serving our neighbors, allowing them to be that much more effective in meeting community needs.” 

Where talent meets purpose, Catchafire.org

With this partnership, thirteen funders have now joined the One Michigan collaborative—a statewide program aimed at giving nonprofits in Michigan access to Catchafire’s on-demand support. Other grantmakers in the collaborative include founding member Michigan Health Endowment Fund (The Health Fund), Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, the Skillman Foundation, and Washtenaw Coordinated Funders, inclusive of the Office of Community & Economic Development, United Way of Washtenaw County, and St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor.

As part of One Michigan, nonprofits get access to Catchafire’s innovative virtual platform and programming to leverage a network of more than 100,000 skilled volunteers who will help pro bono with needs such as website development, online marketing, strategic planning, professional development, and other areas of critical work in fundraising, program delivery, human resources, marketing & communications, finance, and technology & operations.

Nonprofits post their immediate needs by choosing from over 140 projects, already outlined with steps and deliverables. Talented professionals apply to complete these tasks, and the organizations select a volunteer to do the work. Through these engagements, nonprofits get critical needs filled, and volunteers become deeply connected to the nonprofits’ missions. Over time, these connections can establish long-term relationships where pro bono professionals become repeat volunteers, social media advocates, donors, and potential board members.

Now more than ever, nonprofits leverage virtual support services like Catchafire to help with emergency response, recovery, and resiliency efforts. In Michigan alone, nonprofits with access to Catchafire completed 347 virtual pro bono projects on the platform since March 1, 2020. These projects have focused on fulfilling time-sensitive needs like transitioning to remote work; developing HR policies to keep staff safe and healthy; planning and organizing virtual fundraisers; better understanding the needs of beneficiaries; transitioning programs to a virtual environment; and receiving support from the CARES Act, among other programmatic, fundraising and operational needs. In the process, they’ve leveraged nearly 5,700 hours of volunteers’ time, saving more than $1,224,000.

While our Great Lakes Bay community may be struggling since the onset of COVID-19 and the recent flooding, Catchafire is now a resource that will help strengthen nonprofits in the region so we are prepared for the long road of recovery ahead.

To learn more about One Michigan or to learn how to participate as a grantmaker, please reach out to Ash Didwania, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Catchafire at ash@catchafire.org

About Catchafire

Catchafire is a full service, on-demand solution designed to address the wide-ranging and complex needs of nonprofits by connecting them with talented pro bono professionals. Through Catchafire’s innovative web-based platform and network of more than 10 million professionals, nonprofits have access to people with expert skills who can help them with operational needs such as developing a website, building a strategic plan, designing a brochure, professional development, and other areas of critical work. Catchafire’s scalable and cost-effective model makes it possible for grantmakers to provide a full suite of capacity building services to any nonprofit that the foundation seeks to serve. Catchafire and its foundation partners are not only helping nonprofits improve their capacity, sustainability, and effectiveness, but also leveling the playing field by making capacity building available to any nonprofit or changemaker.

tags / catchafire, volunteers, capacity building