Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan

Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan CFNEM builds strong, vibrant and sustainable communities through the power of everyone's giving.

Sometimes, a door lock is just a lock. In the case of a Straits Area Youth Advisory Council grant to purchase a lock, it...
06/16/2026

Sometimes, a door lock is just a lock. In the case of a Straits Area Youth Advisory Council grant to purchase a lock, it’s more. It means access to mental health services in a safe, secure manner.

Ronon's Place - Hope for the Mind is a nonprofit that provides care to people struggling with depression, anxiety, su***de, domestic abuse, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. As a small nonprofit, counselors, volunteers, and board members needed safe, easy access to their facility so they could meet and serve clients outside of normal business hours, and allows for more events for kids, adults, and families. A new keyless fob entry lock system was what was needed, and a Straits Area YAC grant made that possible.

At the edge of Mackinaw City’s downtown, where railroad tracks once carried train cars and freight to waiting ships, a d...
06/13/2026

At the edge of Mackinaw City’s downtown, where railroad tracks once carried train cars and freight to waiting ships, a different kind of journey now begins. The towering bow of the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum rises above the water as an unmistakable reminder of northern Michigan’s deep maritime roots and the people who keep its channels open through the harsh winters.

Once a working U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Mackinaw now invites visitors to step into history. Guests can climb narrow ladders, stand on the wind-swept deck, and peer into the engine room, experiencing firsthand what life is like aboard a ship built to break through thick ice and keep Great Lakes commerce moving.

Behind the scenes, a quiet but powerful effort is underway to ensure this experience endures. In 2008, the Museum’s board partnered with the Straits Area Community Foundation to establish a permanent endowment fund as an investment in the ship’s future. While the fund continues to grow, its purpose is clear: to provide long-term support for essential work like preserving the ship’s structure, restoring the dock, expanding interactive exhibits, and maintaining the vessel’s historic integrity for generations to come. SACF’s careful stewardship of the fund ensures the Museum will have an ongoing source of revenue for generations to come.

We’ll drop the link to the rest of the story in the comments!

06/11/2026

Friendly Reminder 💜 July 1st is the grant deadline for applications to the Northeast Michigan Women's Giving Circle (WGC). Applications for nonprofits with programs in our communities addressing issues important to women can be found at https://www.cfnem.org/grants/apply-for-grants.html.

❗️Time is running out to apply to be part of the 2026-2027 Leadership Learning Lab Cohort. Applications close on June 15...
06/10/2026

❗️Time is running out to apply to be part of the 2026-2027 Leadership Learning Lab Cohort. Applications close on June 15! The Leadership Learning Lab combines adaptive and collaborative leadership, time management, and a suite of nonprofit and cross-sector capacity-building skills. It invests directly in nonprofit leaders to strengthen organizations and the communities they serve. Questions? Give us a call. Check the comments for the link to apply.

This year, the Community Foundation received $150,000 from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) through its Food Ac...
06/10/2026

This year, the Community Foundation received $150,000 from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) through its Food Access Rapid Response Fund.

Food banks, safety net organizations, and food pantries throughout the state, including Northeast Michigan, are experiencing an increase in demand for emergency food access. The MHEF partnered with community foundations to distribute the funds to community-based organizations that currently serve as critical food access points.

The funds allotted to Northeast Michigan have been distributed to the nine counties in the CFNEM service area, as well as those served by its geographic affiliate foundations. Grants are being used to support these nonprofits in strengthening infrastructure, addressing communications strategies, improving food delivery systems, increasing staff capacity, expanding food rescue efforts, and upgrading systems and technology - all with the intention of assisting these organizations in addressing the increased need for services.

See the comments for the link to view the full list of grants. Pictured here, volunteers at the Salvation Army of Cheboygan stock their food pantry.

📌A friendly reminder for our nonprofits interested in applying for grants in Crawford, Ogemaw, and Oscoda Counties: Nort...
06/08/2026

📌A friendly reminder for our nonprofits interested in applying for grants in Crawford, Ogemaw, and Oscoda Counties: North Central Michigan Community Foundation Community Impact Grant applications are due Tuesday, June 30! Get more information and apply at https://www.cfnem.org/ncmcf/grants/apply-for-grants.html.

When devastating flooding impacted communities across northeast Michigan — especially in Cheboygan County — local nonpro...
06/05/2026

When devastating flooding impacted communities across northeast Michigan — especially in Cheboygan County — local nonprofits immediately stepped forward to help neighbors in crisis. Thanks to the strength of our community and the generosity of caring donors, the Straits Area Community Foundation and its lead foundation, Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan were able to respond quickly as well.

Through the Foundation’s Urgent Needs Fund, six grants totaling $50,000 have already been distributed to nonprofit organizations providing critical relief efforts throughout Cheboygan County and Mackinaw City, as well as some support for the neighboring counties of Presque Isle and Montmorency. These grants are supporting emergency food assistance, disaster relief efforts, cleanup supplies, debris removal, and temporary sanitation solutions for families without power or plumbing. Grantees include Disaster Relief at Work (DRAW), Mercy Chefs, United Way of Northeast Michigan, Forest-Waverly Township Fire Department, Grant Township, and Cheboygan County Humane Society.

We are proud to help move resources quickly, responsibly, and effectively to trusted organizations working on the front lines of disaster response. This is one of the many things the Straits Area Community Foundation does — connecting generosity to local needs with accountability, efficiency, and immediate impact.

We are deeply grateful to the many individuals and businesses with a heart for northeast Michigan who continue to support the Urgent Needs Fund and the recovery efforts underway across our region. Together, we are helping our neighbors begin the long road forward.

CFNEM Executive Director Patrick Heraghty and SACF board member Patty Archambo were honored to be able to deliver some of the grant checks to funds to these organizations as quickly as possible.

You can read more on the support provided here: https://www.cfnem.org/sacf/about-us/resources/news/sacf-supports-flood-victims-with-50000-in-urgent-needs-fund-grants.html

Rayola Inc. has been serving foster children since 2020. Based in Ogemaw County, the organization now serves kids from b...
06/04/2026

Rayola Inc. has been serving foster children since 2020. Based in Ogemaw County, the organization now serves kids from birth to 18 who are in foster care, expanding their reach across northeast Michigan. Their goal is to deliver creative, quality care packages at the time a child enters care and throughout the first year to help children adjust, feel comforted, and know they are supported by their communities.

Two NCMCF Community Impact Grants supported Rayola’s work in Ogemaw and Oscoda Counties, helping to ensure care packages can be created and individualized to each child. In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services caseworkers, Rayola volunteers work to gather age-appropriate books, stuffed animals, hygiene products, a homemade quilt, pillowcases, Christmas stockings, gloves, hats, card games, infant supplies, and other specific products children may need.

“Children who enter foster care are experiencing the choices of others,” says Keri Withers of Rayola. “They can’t care for themselves and for a variety of reasons, those charged with their care have failed. Foster care families step in to fill the need, and this grant helps to support the children in a very real way.”

Leadership Learning Lab is looking for nonprofit leaders and emerging leaders! If you are interested in applying to the ...
06/02/2026

Leadership Learning Lab is looking for nonprofit leaders and emerging leaders! If you are interested in applying to the 2026 cohort, applications close June 15! We are pleased to continue our support of the Northeast Michigan cohort (Site 3) alongside our colleagues at Otsego County Community Foundation and Roscommon County Community Foundation.

The application link will be dropped in the comments.

The Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council in Alpena was proud to put grant dollars toward the Boys and Girls Club of...
06/01/2026

The Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council in Alpena was proud to put grant dollars toward the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena for a youth mentorship program. Through this program, teens serve as mentors, strengthening leadership skills while building consistent, supportive relationships with younger youth. Staff at the Club say the program has resulted in increased confidence, improved communication, and stronger peer-to-peer connections. Over the past year, 127 youth participated in 202 project days, completing a total of 3,128 hours of community service. These outcomes demonstrate the project’s positive impact on the community, the youth who served as mentors, and the younger members who benefited from guidance, role modeling, and meaningful connections with their youth mentors. What a great project!

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100 North Ripley, Suite F
Alpena, MI
49707

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