Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan

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Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan

CFNEM builds strong, vibrant and sustainable communities through the power of everyone's giving.

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.

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!

05/29/2026

May is “Leave a Legacy Month” – a time dedicated to reflecting on the impact we can make now, and beyond our lifetimes. It is also a time to celebrate those who have chosen to give through their will to support what they care about. We are honored to have more than 90 individuals who are part of our Legacy Society – those who have chosen to make sure their communities are supported forever. Why consider a gift through your will? To preserve your family name, honor your loved ones, provide for your heirs (legacy gifts can benefit them while also benefiting the community), for tax benefits, and perhaps most importantly, for community impact.

What will your legacy be?

05/27/2026

💥One last reminder! If you’ve started an application for a 2026 Straits Area Community Impact Grant, don’t forget to complete your submission! The deadline to apply is June 1! Apply online at https://www.cfnem.org/sacf/grants/.

05/26/2026

Grant opportunities! CFNEM is currently accepting grant applications for Community Impact Grants! Applications are due July 15. For more information and to apply for funding, visit https://www.cfnem.org/grants/. Applications are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, churches (for non-religious purposes) and government agencies in Alcona, Alpena, Presque Isle and/or Montmorency Counties.

05/22/2026

Did you know – making a gift through a will is as easy as naming a percentage of your assets – no matter how much that ends of being - to a favorite charity or cause? It doesn’t have to be complicated to leave a legacy and support what you care about most. May is “Leave a Legacy” month, which offers a chance to highlight giving through planning.

Learn more about giving through a will at https://www.cfnem.org/give/planned-giving/.

05/21/2026

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.

05/20/2026

Applications to be part of the next Leadership Learning Lab (LLL) cohort are open through June 15!

The Leadership Learning Lab is a 10-month program for changemakers from nonprofits, local governments, and other mission-driven organizations. Through monthly sessions, learning pods, and hands-on practice, participants strengthen their leadership capacity, build cross-sector relationships, and develop strategies for resilience and adaptation. We have been proud to support the LLL since 2018 and have loved the transformations we have seen because of this program.

Interested in learning more or applying? A free virtual session is available on May 27th to answer any questions you may have. We’ll drop links to both the virtual session and the application in the comments.

05/19/2026

Our Straits Area Youth Advisory Council (YAC) (through our Straits Area Community Foundation affiliate) is a group of young people from Cheboygan County and Mackinaw City who are working to make their communities better through grantmaking, community service, and leadership. This year, they awarded $4,850 from the Straits Area Kellogg Youth Fund. Projects the YAC funded in 2026 include therapy services through the PawsPack Therapy Dogs program, bags for teens filled with practical and personal care items, a summer camp to explore STEM careers, construction materials for a summer theater camp, and more. Check them out at https://www.cfnem.org/sacf/about-us/resources/news/straits-area-community-foundation-awards-2026-youth-grants.html.

Address

100 North Ripley, Suite F
Alpena, MI
49707

Telephone

+19893546881

Website

http://www.cfnem.org/

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