Mission: The Cadillac Area Community Foundation enhances the quality of life for all people of our community through philanthropy – connecting donor gifts with the needs in our community.
Spring Grants announced:
Cadillac Area Silent Observer | $800 | Permanent Community Poster Displays
City of Cadillac | $10,000 | Shay Showcase
Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes | $1600 | Inspiring Bright Tomorrow
New Hope Shelter (New Hope Center) | $10,000 | New Facility
Wexford County Historical Society | $10,000 | Window Restoration Project
Congratulation to our 2020/2021 Leadership Learning Lab Participants:
Caitlyn Berard | Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce
Chris Crawley | New Hope Center
Tim Florinki | Up North Arts
Amy Gibbs | Wexford—Osceola Habitat for Humanity
Heather Harris Jensen | Missaukee County Council on Aging
Laura Marion | Ardis Missaukee District Library
Shirley Petersen | Healing Private Wounds
The Leadership Learning Lab is a nine-month program designed to support non-profit leaders to help build a strong foundation for their organization.
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The Cadillac Area Community Foundation enhances the quality of life for all members of our community through philanthropy – connecting donor gifts with the needs of our community.
Important News & Application Forms
2021 Updates
Imagination Library July 2021 | Monthly Cost: $3889 | 1931 Children Receiving Books
The Cadillac Area Women’s Giving Circle awards five grants, totaling $20,781 to local non-profits that support programs and projects for women and girls.
Life Resources of Northern Michigan, INC for a Spanish Parenting Program, Love, Inc of Wexford and Osceola Counties for Women’s Fresh Start Project, New Hope Center Women’s Wing, Wexford-Missaukee ISD/Imagination Library Book Program, and Wexford Osceola Habitat For Humanity for their Brush for Kindness Program.
The Cadillac Area Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls of the Greater Cadillac Area. The group is financially committed to making a difference in the lives of community women and girls in need.
The Women’s Giving Circle is a Field of Interest Fund held with the Cadillac Area Community Foundation and has granted over 195,000 since 2009. Grants are awarded annually to creative solutions to the critical needs of women and girls in our community. Applications are due March 1 and can be found at cadillacareawomensgivingcircle.org.
DENTAL SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE
The Ardis/Lueder Northern Lower Michigan Endowed Scholarship Fund supports a student in a recognized dental program at the School of Dentistry at the University of Michigan or the University of Detroit. Preference would be granted to a student who is from Wexford, Missaukee, or Osceola Counties. Qualified students in the post-graduate, fourth, and third-year program. Payment will go directly to the school attending.
Letter of intent and College Transcript due by June 30, 2021, to:
Cadillac Area Community Foundation
201 North Mitchell Street, Suite 101
Cadillac, Michigan 49601
Veterans Fund of Wexford and Missaukee Counties accepts applications for Emergency Needs all year long. Click Guidelines and application information or by calling the Foundation offices at 231-775-9911.
Youth Grant Applications are accepted from September through May. Click Guidelines and an application.
CACF Trustee Grant Applications cycle deadlines: February 28, June 30, & October 31. Click Guidelines and application.
You can view all of our Grant Making and Scholarship Deadlines by clicking on the “Deadlines” Tab at the top of this page.
Executive Director’s Blog
The National Standards Seal by our name indicates official confirmation from the Council on Foundations that we have met the most rigorous standards in philanthropy. It affirms our commitment to financial security, transparency and accountability. It says our grantmaking includes an open, competitive process designed to address the changing needs of our community. The National Standards Seal also confirms our history of honoring donors’ wishes.
March 2020
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancA Safe & Healthy Community
Safe & Healthy Communities (SHC) is a local community coalition comprised of a variety of health professionals focused on addressing substance abuse in Wexford and Missaukee Counties. Their mission is to build and mobilize a comprehensive, community-wide social movement to substantially reduce substance abuse in our extended communities. .
Unfortunately, the fact is that people have died from causes associated with the use of vaping products, and underage drinking.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that, as of December 10, 2019, there are 2,409 hospitalization cases of vaping-related lung injuries in the U.S., resulting in 52 deaths across 26 states. A recent survey done by the Cadillac Youth Advisory Committee asked students 9-12 grade, which substance is currently being abused, 73.1% said vaping. When asked if they knew the health risks, 97.4 said they did. The 7th & 8th graders said 89.2% of the students are abusing vaping. The numbers are shocking! 99.1% said they understand the health issues associated Read more
February 2020
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancFocusing on what really matters.
At the end of January the Cadillac Area Community Foundation (CACF), CACF Youth Advisory Committee, the Missaukee Area Community Foundation (MACF), and MACF Youth Advisory Committee partnered to help fund a student program. The program, presented by national speaker Tony Hoffman, covered his battles with anxiety, depression, drug addiction, and mental health. On January 29th over 1000 students from 7 schools heard Tony Hoffman’s inspirational message of overcoming his struggles with homelessness, suicidal thoughts, drug addiction, bad choices, going to prison; and then turning his life around and participating in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a coach.
Many of the issues raised by Tony Hoffman in his program were also brought to light in a recent survey of area youth undertaken by the CACF Youth Advisory Committee. A total of 617 Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS) students participated in the surveying that took place in January 2020.
33% (270) of CAPS students in grades 9-12 participated in the survey. These survey participants feel that the top issues currently affecting them are stress from school (91.1%), mental health (75.3%), and stress from friends (54.4%). The survey also revealed substance abuse that included vaping ( 73.1%), marijuana use (15%), and alcohol abuse (9.6%).
73% (347) CAPS students in the 7& 8 grade responded to the same survey. They revealed that stress from school (80.5%), stress from friends (44.1%), and mental health issues (41.4%) are already a concern to them in the lower grades. Substances most abused by these survey participants included vaping (89.2%), marijuana use (38.5%), and alcohol use (26.2%).
These numbers are alarming! So where do we go from here? Read more
January 2020
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancInvesting in People is investing in the Future. That is the Key to Success for Non-Profit Organizations!
An organization’s success lies in the professionalism, compassion, vision, competence, and expertise of the people within the organization.
Nonprofit work is known to be mission-driven. Often achievement comes with pushing yourself and your team to its limit.
In the non-profit world, the roles and responsibilities of those that work for the non-profit often entail much more than any job description; rather it becomes a way of life. The folks who dedicate their lives to the mission often become the very symbol of the organizations focus.
Similar to the for-profit world of dollars and cents, working in nonprofits means being able to explain with a “business-minded” focus exactly what a donor’s return on investment looks like in terms of impact and change. Being transparent, knowledgeable, and passionate about the mission are skills every nonprofit leader needs because donors want to see their investments grow for the purpose of their own personal charitable cause(s). Read more
December 2019
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancThe holidays are my favorite time of year as we all take time to give more to others and reflect on everything for which we are thankful.
As I reflect on 2019, the Cadillac Area Community Foundation is proud to have played a part in a number of activities that have led to positive results in our community.
Read more
November 2019
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancPlan Your Year End Giving
November is flying by and 2020 will be here before we know it. As you check off items from your end-of-the-year checklist, don’t forget that Dec. 31 is the last day to make charitable contributions in order to receive a tax receipt for the 2019 fiscal year.
Read more
October 2019
/in Executive Director's Blog /by Doreen LancWhat it means to be a Blue Zones Community
Blue Zones are specific areas, across the world, where the residents enjoy the happiest, healthiest, and longest lives. Their immediate environment supports their lifestyle choices and well-being.
At its most basic, the Blue Zones Project is a community well-being improvement initiative designed to change the way people experience the world around them. Because healthier environments naturally nudge people toward healthier choices, the Blue Zones Project focuses on influencing the area close to home in which people spend 90 percent of their lives. That area and that environment dictates how easy it is to make healthy choices, or how difficult. By improving where we live, work, learn, and play, we make it easier to get up and move, eat healthy, make new friends, find a reason for being — and live longer, better.
The Blue Zones Project brings the entire community together; local residents, worksites, human services & non-profit organizations, your Community Foundation, healthcare professionals, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, and local government; to inspire this community movement that has the power to improve the quality of life for everyone. Blue Zones uses scientifically proven lessons of longevity, health, and happiness to boost the well-being of an entire community. Read more