COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MONROE COUNTY

What COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MONROE COUNTY does

The Community Foundation of Monroe County (CFMC) is a tax-exempt community foundation established in 1978 in Monroe, Michigan, that connects philanthropic donors with local causes through grantmaking, scholarship administration, and fund stewardship. It serves four primary stakeholder groups — individual and corporate donors, local 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Monroe County students, and professional advisors (attorneys, accountants, and wealth managers) — plus a sub-market in the Greater Milan Area served through its 2005 affiliate, the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation (GMACF). CFMC manages 135 funds (donor-advised, endowed, field-of-interest, scholarship, special project, and unrestricted) with total assets of approximately $16.16 million, and distributes roughly $877,000 annually ($604,169 in community grants, $130,000 in scholarships, $143,143 via GMACF), with additional targeted programs including Youth Advisory Council grants (up to $5,000), G.R.O.W. women's philanthropy, and a Health Endowment pool that has awarded over $180,000 to local nonprofits in a single cycle.

The foundation operates without proprietary technology, relying on third-party SaaS platforms — Grant Interface for nonprofit grant applications and CommunityForce for the consolidated student scholarship application that matches applicants to 60+ eligible awards — alongside a WordPress-based marketing website, Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn presence, and email newsletter. Its go-to-market is community-led: signature in-person events (annual gala, Philanthropy Playoffs bracket-style giving tournament, strategic plan community sessions drawing 200+ attendees), direct donor relations, and a professional-advisor referral channel that supports charitable estate planning and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). Pricing is a fund-establishment model with a $10,000 minimum for permanently endowed funds (achievable over three years), plus administrative fees on managed assets; grants and scholarships carry no charge to recipients.

Revenue mechanics reflect CFMC's nonprofit status: inflows are voluntary charitable contributions and investment returns on the $16M endowment, with annual distributions governed by an investment and spending policy. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (President Susan Vanisacker, Vice-President Amy Zangara, Treasurer Ryan Thompson, Secretary Maria Zagorski, plus additional trustees) and led professionally by Executive Director Valerie Orr (since 2024), Director of Grants, Scholarships & Operations Michele Sandiefer (20+ year tenure), and Director of Impact and Engagement Brittany Novak. CFMC holds National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations accreditation from the Council on Foundations — the sector's primary quality credential — and operates from its headquarters at 9 Washington Street, Monroe, Michigan.

Name

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MONROE COUNTY

Legal name

Community Foundation of Monroe County

Website

https://cfmonroe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation of Monroe County is a 1978-founded community foundation in Monroe, Michigan, managing 135 funds with $16.16 million in total assets and distributing approximately $877,000 annually in grants and scholarships to local nonprofits, Monroe County students, professional advisors, and donors across Monroe County and the Greater Milan Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Charitable fund management
• Grantmaking programs
• Scholarship administration
• Philanthropic advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: The foundation receives charitable donations from individuals, families, corporations, and organizations. These contributions are managed through various fund types including donor-advised funds, endowed funds, and field-of-interest funds.
2. Investment Management: Donor funds are professionally invested, with endowment funds generating returns that support ongoing grantmaking and scholarships. The foundation builds endowment funds that benefit the community indefinitely through investment growth.
3. Professional Advisor Services: CFMC partners with professional advisors (attorneys, accountants, wealth advisors) to facilitate charitable estate planning, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and planned giving for their clients, earning administrative fees for fund management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Community Foundation of Monroe County (CFMC) is a nonprofit community foundation that pools charitable contributions from individuals, families, and businesses into professionally managed funds, then redistributes those resources through competitive grants to local nonprofits, scholarships to Monroe County students, and donor-advised grants to causes selected by donors. It also partners with professional advisors to facilitate planned giving, Qualified Charitable Distributions, and charitable estate planning for their clients.

Product overview

The Community Foundation of Monroe County operates as a philanthropic services platform offering multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include: a General Scholarships program providing one-application access to 60+ scholarships; Additional Funding with targeted scholarships for specific schools and demographics; CFMC Community Grants (up to $5,000) and Greater Milan Area Community Foundation Grants (up to $10,000) for nonprofit projects; and a Youth Advisory Council Grant Program (up to $5,000) for youth-identified needs. Supporting programs include G.R.O.W. (women's philanthropy with $1,500 member contributions), the Philanthropy Playoffs competitive giving tournament, and various fund types (Donor-Advised, Field of Interest, Scholarship, Special Project, and Endowment Funds). The Foundation also offers Qualified Charitable Distributions for IRA holders. All services are supported through online portals for donations, grants, and scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• G.R.O.W. (Giving Represents Our Women): A philanthropic women's organization supporting women and children organizations throughout the community. Members commit $1,500 to an endowment fund.

Products and services

• General Scholarships Program One-application scholarship system that automatically matches Monroe County students with 60+ eligible scholarships based on GPA, field of study, and other criteria, competing for over $100,000 in annual awards.
• Additional Funding / Targeted Scholarships Specialized scholarships with unique eligibility requirements for specific schools, fields of study, demographic criteria, and circumstances such as adult learners, skilled trades, and theatrical arts.
• CFMC Community Grants Competitive grant program offering up to $5,000 for projects improving quality of life in Monroe County, supporting youth, seniors, historical preservation, environmental protection, and community well-being through donor-advised and field-of-interest funds.
• Greater Milan Area Community Foundation (GMACF) Grants Affiliate grant program offering up to $10,000 for projects strengthening cultural, economic, educational, and environmental quality of life in the Greater Milan Area, supporting local needs identified by the community.
• Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Grant Program Youth-driven grant program offering up to $5,000 for projects addressing needs identified by Monroe/Erie Youth Advisory Council peers, focusing on mental health, physical health, nutrition, substance use prevention, and social connectedness.
• G.R.O.W. (Giving Represents Our Women) Women's philanthropy membership program where members commit $1,500 to an endowment fund supporting women and children organizations; members vote annually on grant recipients, with corporate membership options available.
• Philanthropy Playoffs County-wide bracket-style giving tournament where teams representing charitable funds compete through donations, social media engagement, and mini-challenges to earn shares of a Fan Fund prize pool, with bonus grants for top teams.
• Donor-Advised Funds Charitable giving vehicle allowing donors to recommend grants to causes they care about while benefiting from professional management, tax advantages, and administrative support through CFMC.
• Field of Interest Funds Donor-established funds targeting specific areas such as education, health, or arts, where the Foundation determines how to distribute grants to address changing community needs within the donor's area of interest.
• Scholarship Funds Endowed funds providing educational opportunities for Monroe County students, managed by CFMC with various eligibility criteria established by donors, including awards for specific schools, fields of study, and demographics.
• Special Project Funds Funds supporting short-term fundraising efforts with long-term community impact, designed for specific charitable initiatives or community projects with defined purposes.
• Endowment Funds Permanent funds where principal is invested and only a portion of earnings is used for charitable activities, creating lasting legacies that benefit the community indefinitely; require $10,000 minimum (achievable over three years).
• Unrestricted Funds Flexible funds supporting the Foundation's strategic initiatives, allowing CFMC to address the most pressing and evolving community needs as they emerge.
• Donation Center Online portal for making donations to various funds, categorized by cause area including Education, Health & Well-Being, Arts & Culture, Animal Related, Environmental, Veterans, Youth, and Affiliate-Milan Community, enabling donors to support specific community causes.
• Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) Tax-efficient giving option for individuals aged 70½ or older, allowing transfer of up to $100,000 annually from IRA directly to CFMC without paying taxes on the distribution, satisfying Required Minimum Distribution requirements.
• Milan Affiliate Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120 scholarships awarded annually to Monroe County residents
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Milan Area Community Foundation (GMACF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Geographic affiliate of CFMC established in 2005, serving the Greater Milan, Michigan area. GMACF combines local leadership with CFMC's charitable infrastructure, offering Milan donors a way to support local causes while benefiting from CFMC's asset management expertise. Founders were Isabelle Schultz, Donald Harkness, and Millard Phillips.
• Council on FoundationsminorOthers · 1 January 2000Partnered in establishing the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program, which CFMC participates in for accreditation.
• KABOOM!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for playground builds in rural communities across Monroe County. The collaboration brings together neighbors, volunteers, and community partners to build safe, welcoming places for children to play, dream, and gather.
• Landscape Structures Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in playground build projects bringing big ideas to life in Monroe County through commercial playground equipment and design.
• La-Z-Boy Women's Employee Resource GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployee group that presented a $500 donation to the G.R.O.W. Endowment Fund at the Spring Gathering event.
• DTE EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMatched the La-Z-Boy Women's Employee Resource Group gift with another $500 contribution, made possible by their women volunteers who supported the G.R.O.W. event.
• River Raisin National Battlefield Park FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of $5,000 G.R.O.W. grant to enhance the Shared Lands exhibit with authentic representations of French-Canadian and Indigenous women and children from Monroe County's early history.
• SMCC Touchdown ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of $2,100 G.R.O.W. grant for Monroe Victory Day, a one-day inclusive football and cheerleading experience for students with disabilities.
• Monroe County Intermediate School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of $3,000 G.R.O.W. grant for creation of an accessible garden at the ISD Transition Center for adult students with disabilities.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan: A larger Michigan-based community foundation providing donor services, grantmaking, and scholarships across Southeast Michigan. Overlaps with CFMC's service region and offers a like-for-like comparison at a larger asset scale.
• Battle Creek Community Foundation: A Michigan community foundation with a comparable mid-sized AUM, scholarship portfolio, and competitive grants program. Useful for benchmarking CFMC's scale and payout ratios against a same-state peer.
• Saginaw Community Foundation: A Michigan community foundation administering donor-advised funds, scholarship programs, and community grant cycles. Comparable in scope, program mix, and mid-sized AUM to CFMC.
• Kalamazoo Community Foundation: A Michigan community foundation offering donor-advised funds, endowed funds, scholarships, and community grantmaking in Southwest Michigan. Directly comparable in business model and program mix to CFMC.
• Grand Rapids Community Foundation: A long-established Michigan community foundation (founded 1922) managing a much larger asset base but operating the same combination of donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive community grants.
• Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation: A community foundation serving the Ann Arbor, Michigan area with a similar model of donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grants for local nonprofits. It is the closest geographic and structural peer to CFMC within Michigan.

Others

• Council on Foundations: The national industry association that co-established the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations accreditation held by CFMC. Functions as the regulatory and best-practices body governing the standards CFMC complies with.
• Council of Michigan Foundations: A statewide membership association of Michigan foundations. CFMC participates in this industry body, and it serves as the primary peer network, advocacy group, and capacity-building resource for community foundations like CFMC.

Regional players

• Toledo Community Foundation: A community foundation serving northwest Ohio, immediately across the state line from Monroe County. Operates the same model of donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grants for a similar mid-sized market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cfmonroe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-monroe-county
• Instagraminstagram.com/Community_foundation_monroe

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MONROE COUNTY