What Leelanau Township Community Foundation does

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation (LTCF) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community foundation established in 1945 in Northport, Michigan, with a $35,000 founding gift from Francis H. Haserot. The foundation administers donor funds — including the General Endowment Fund, the Youth Endowment Fund, and approximately 20 specialized program funds — and applies their investment earnings and contributions to bi-monthly competitive grants and an annual scholarship program spanning 14 distinct scholarship funds. In 2025, the Board of Trustees approved $169,467.10 in grants across nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and municipalities serving Leelanau Township residents, and in spring 2026 awarded $39,975 in scholarships to local students.

Grants and scholarships are distributed across five stated focus areas: Arts and Culture, Community Vitality, Education, Environment, and Recreation. Revenue is sourced from donations (online, check, recurring), investment returns on the endowment (managed by David Vaughn Investments, Inc.), and planned giving/legacy bequests through the Francis H. Haserot Legacy Society. The foundation operates with a lean professional staff of two and a volunteer Board of Trustees, supported by the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) for youth-led grant-making.

LTCF holds the National Standards Seal from the Council on Foundations, is the third oldest community foundation in Michigan, and reaches its constituents through bi-monthly newsletters, community event sponsorships (Cars in the Park, Leelanau UnCaged, Music in the Park, and others), and partnerships with institutions including Northport Public School, the Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission, and the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department — most recently through the Basil Antenucci Early Childhood Scholarship Fund pilot program.

Name

Leelanau Township Community Foundation

Legal name

Leelanau Township Community Foundation

Website

https://leelanaufoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1945 that administers donor endowment funds and distributes grants and scholarships to nonprofits, schools, municipalities, and students within Leelanau Township, Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation
• Grant making
• Scholarship administration
• Endowment management
• Planned giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Northport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation accepts donations via check, recurring payments, and online giving. Contributions support grant-making and scholarship capabilities across areas including Arts and Culture, Community Vitality, Education, Environment, and Recreation.
2. Endowment Fund Management: The foundation manages numerous endowment funds including the General Endowment Fund, donor advised funds, field of interest funds, designated funds, and scholarship funds. Investment earnings provide ongoing support for community grants and scholarships.
3. Planned Giving and Bequests: The Francis H. Haserot Legacy Society acknowledges members who have named the foundation as beneficiary of planned or deferred gifts including bequests from wills, 401(k)/IRA plan beneficiaries, and insurance policy beneficiaries.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable community foundation that administers donor funds, awards competitive grants to tax-exempt nonprofits, educational institutions, and municipalities serving Leelanau Township, and administers scholarship programs for local students pursuing higher education. The Foundation manages permanent endowment funds, designated funds, donor advised funds, and field of interest funds, distributing grants bi-monthly through a Board-reviewed application process and scholarship funds annually.

Product overview

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation operates as a single unified nonprofit organization offering grant-making and scholarship distribution services. The core offerings consist of the General Endowment Fund and Youth Endowment Fund as primary vehicles for community giving, supplemented by approximately 20+ specialized program funds covering areas such as health and wellness, library support, airport operations, and arts programming. The Foundation provides grant programs reviewed bi-monthly by its Board of Trustees and administers 14 distinct scholarship funds for local students. The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) empowers high school students in philanthropic decision-making. The Foundation also manages a Legacy Society for planned giving and sponsors community events throughout the township.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Grant Program Competitive grant program that awards funding to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, local educational institutions, and municipalities serving Leelanau Township residents. Applications are reviewed bi-monthly (January, March, May, July, September, November) and address areas including Arts and Culture, Community Vitality, Education, Environment, Health and Wellness, and Recreation. In 2025, $169,467.10 in grants was approved by the Board of Trustees.
• Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program for graduating Northport Public School seniors and Leelanau County high school graduates pursuing higher education. Applications are accepted March through April each year across 14 specialized scholarship funds targeting fields such as nursing, medicine, science, visual arts, and general higher education. In spring 2026, $39,975 was awarded from twelve different funds.
• Endowment Fund Administration Professional management of multiple endowment fund types including the General Endowment Fund, Youth Endowment Fund, LTCF Operations Fund, donor advised funds, field of interest funds, designated funds, and scholarship funds. Over $7 million in assets under professional investment management by David Vaughn Investments, Inc., generating sustainable grant-making capacity.
• Haserot Legacy Society A planned giving recognition society for donors who include the Foundation as beneficiary in wills, 401(k)/IRA plans, or insurance policies. Members receive acknowledgement for deferred gift commitments that contribute to long-term endowment growth.
• Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Philanthropy education and grant-making program engaging local high school students who review and decide on grant applications from the Youth Endowment Fund. YAC has awarded over $100,000 in grants since 1996 to youth-focused programs in the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $6 million in grants distributed since 1945
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leelanau Early Childhood Development CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLTCF partnered with this commission along with Northport Public School and Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department to launch the Basil Antenucci Early Childhood Scholarship Fund pilot program offering tuition assistance at the Dandelion Discovery Center in Northport.
• Northport Public SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for the Basil Antenucci Early Childhood Scholarship Fund pilot program and Youth Advisory Council operations. Northport Public School hosts YAC meetings and receives grants from the Youth Endowment Fund.
• Benzie-Leelanau District Health DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Basil Antenucci Early Childhood Scholarship Fund pilot program along with Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission and Northport Public School.
• Dandelion Discovery CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of foundation support through the Basil Antenucci Early Childhood Scholarship Fund pilot program. The center provides early childhood education services in Northport.
• Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa IndiansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcknowledged as indigenous stewards of the lands and waters that Leelanau Township occupies through the foundation's Land Acknowledgement statement.
• Leelanau Children's CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year grant recipient ($17,200 per year) to help cover operating costs of the Children's Center reopening in 2023 for 0-5 year old daycare services.
• Little Acorn ChildcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness operated by Northport native Amalie Kristiansen providing 0-5 year old daycare services at the Leelanau Children's Center location.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation: A northern Michigan community foundation administering donor funds, competitive grants, and scholarships in a small-town/resort community context closely analogous to LTCF's Leelanau Township footprint.
• Grand Haven Area Community Foundation: A Michigan-based community foundation providing grants, scholarships, and donor fund management. Closely comparable structure, scale, and operating model to LTCF, with Youth Advisory Committee programs mirroring LTCF's YAC.
• Charlevoix County Community Foundation: A northern Lower Peninsula community foundation distributing grants and scholarships across a small Michigan county. Directly comparable in scale, geographic concentration, and grantmaking + scholarship focus.
• Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation: A community foundation serving the broader Grand Traverse region of northern Michigan. Comparable in mission (grantmaking, scholarships, donor-advised funds) and geographic context to LTCF, but with a substantially larger service area and asset base.

Broad incumbents

• Kalamazoo Community Foundation: One of Michigan's largest community foundations and the model for LTCF's Northport Promise scholarship. Operates the same core model (endowment, donor-advised funds, competitive grants) at materially greater scale and serves as a regional benchmark.
• Community Foundation of Greater Flint: A larger Michigan community foundation administering significant assets, competitive grants, and scholarships. Comparable governance and fund structures, but with a broader geographic mandate and deeper programmatic scope.

Others

• Council of Michigan Foundations: The statewide membership association for Michigan community foundations, of which LTCF is a member. Provides peer benchmarking, training, and advocacy that influence LTCF's operating standards and grantmaking practices.
• Leelanau Conservancy: A geographically adjacent nonprofit focused on land preservation in Leelanau County. LTCF has co-funded environmental programs (e.g., Conservation Resource Alliance grants) with the Conservancy, making it a thematic/ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.
• Council on Foundations: The national membership organization that grants LTCF its National Standards Seal accreditation. Sets the compliance and operational benchmarks that frame LTCF's philanthropic governance.
• Michigan Youth Foundations (YAC Network): A network supporting Youth Advisory Councils across Michigan community foundations. Directly relevant given LTCF's YAC program (founded 1996 with W.K. Kellogg Foundation support), though not a direct grantmaking competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leelanau-township-community-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Leelanau Township Community Foundation