The Community Foundation of Marquette County, including four affiliate funds – Negaunee, Greater Ishpeming, Marquette, and Gwinn Area – recently granted over $100,000 as part of the annual competitive grant cycle.
Of the total grant funding, over $25,000 was awarded to programs related to human services. Over $21,000 was awarded to environment and recreation. Over $17,000 was awarded to arts, culture, and music. Over $15,000 was awarded to youth and education. Over $14,000 was awarded to health. Over $5,000 was awarded to community improvement. This grant cycle included funds from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to support nonprofits that continue to navigate organizational and operational needs from ongoing pandemic response.
2021 grantees included Willow Farm Therapeutic Riding program, which received funds to replace expired helmets for youth involved in the program. The grant was made possible by the Stephen Blondeau Memorial Fund, which was established at the Community Foundation in 1996 to support projects related to youth safety in the Upper Peninsula.
Willow Farm Therapeutic Riding volunteer Luanne Peterson said, “As an affiliate program of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International, horseback riding helmets are a safety requirement that we continue to adhere to. PATH International requires all participants to wear protective headgear that is American Society for Testing and Materials – Safety Equipment Institute (ASTM-SEI) certified. Depending on the amount of use, riding helmets hold the ASTM-SEI certification for 3 – 5 years after they are purchased. This grant will allow the program to provide required safety gear for youth and continue to follow PATH International’s protocols for safety.”
Volunteers from each of the Community Foundation’s affiliate fund form committees to review applications and recommend grants to the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Grant distribution events were recently held for the Ishpeming, Negaunee and Marquette affiliates to celebrate the grantees making an impact on residents of Marquette County. A final grant distribution event will be held on July 4 in Gwinn at The Up North Lodge. This event is part of the popular Bike Night event series and is a fundraiser for the Gwinn Area Community Fund.
In 2020, Marquette County Law Enforcement responded to 46 cardiac emergency calls requesting the use of life saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Law Enforcement Officers are frequently the first to arrive on scene for medical calls because they are already mobile at the time of the call and have the necessary equipment, including AEDs, with them while on patrol.
Jumpstart a Heart is a joint effort by Marquette County Law Enforcement Administrators Association (MCLEAA) and the Community Foundation of Marquette County. The goal is to raise $81,454.50 to purchase new AED equipment for Forsyth Township Police, Negaunee City Police, Michigan State Police, Chocolay Township Police, Marquette City Police, Marquette County Sheriff’s Department, and the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team. Some of the current equipment is over 15 years old, which means it has passed life expectancy, is no longer reliable, and not compatible with equipment used by EMS teams. Having updated equipment and training will allow for a smooth connection and switch over from the AED unit to advanced lifesaving equipment on scene. Every officer utilizing the AED will have training to operate the equipment along with corresponding CPR and First Aid skills.
Give Now:
Give online, visit Jumpstart a Heart Donation Page
Send a check to:
Community Foundation of Marquette County
PO Box 37
Marquette, MI 49855
Marquette County Sheiff’s Deputy Jennifer Best says, “The hope is that the AEDs are never needed. However, a life changing cardiac event can happen unexpectedly to anyone from an infant to elder, at any time, and any location. These updated AED units can serve patients of any age and are portable enough to be transported to even the most remote area through difficult terrain. Residents, visitors, and those passing through the area can all be tended to by a trained responding officer with this life saving equipment.”
A fundraising campaign is now underway, and MCLEAA is asking for donations from the community to help purchase the equipment to have on patrol by the end of September. MCLEAA partnered with the Community Foundation of Marquette County as the fiscal agent for this project, which means all donations to the project are tax deductible. The West End Health Foundation, Negaunee Area Community Fund and Marquette Area Community Fund have committed funds to the project.
“The Community Foundation is pleased to partner with MCLEAA on this project,” says Community Foundation CEO Zosia Eppensteiner. “The need for this equipment was brought to our attention by Sheriff Zyburt. Part of the Community Foundation’s mission is to ‘lead and collaborate to address community opportunities’. Partnering with MCLEAA to raise funds for a project that will address this critical need and create long-term impact for the entire County is definitely something we are excited to be a part of.”
On March 19, 2020, nine days after Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Michigan, we partnered with United Way of Marquette County and announced the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. A dedicated committee of volunteers began meeting weekly to review and award grants with the goal of quickly distributing aid to nonprofits on the front lines responding to the needs in our community. The Fund was set up in three phases, outlined below.
Nonprofits: applications for the Community Response Fund are currently closed, but if your organization has an immediate/emergency need, please get in touch with our office directly: info@cfofmc.org.
Together, we raised over $178,000
Our community stepped up to help in a big way. Our affiliate funds, including three Youth Advisory Committees, provided support. Individual donors, businesses, and foundations gave generously, knowing their donations would make an impact that was swift and meaningful. We have been honored to be a trusted resource, directing much-needed dollars where they made a difference.
Phase One:
March – December, 2020
64 grants were made totaling $89,561.19 to support nonprofits and charities meeting the basic needs of residents in Marquette County. This rapid response phase supported the work of organizations and agencies assisting the most vulnerable in our community.
Phase Two:
December 2020 – February, 2021
23 grants were made totaling $35,620.00 to support operating expenses for Marquette County nonprofits, including program assistance and revenue loss from canceled events.
Phase Three:
Being Prepared for the Next Emergency
The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis demonstrated the need for emergency funding to support county-wide efforts in addressing emergency and disaster relief. To improve our preparedness and increase our ability to respond to emergencies of all types, the Community Response Fund was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2020. Because the fund is endowed it can also continue to grow, extending the impact in perpetuity.
Marquette County has always been committed to coming together in supporting each other during times of crisis and ensuring those who struggle financially and economically are supported in every way possible. Working together, we will continue to survive and thrive. Click here to donate the Community Response Fund.
The Youth Advisory Committees (YAC) of the Community Foundation of Marquette County are proud to announce the distribution of 18 grants to nonprofits to support youth programming. There are three YAC groups in the county, including the Ishpeming, Marquette, and Negaunee areas, with members from local middle and high schools.
Despite the restrictions and hurdles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the groups have volunteered on several community projects and continue supporting local nonprofits with grants. As part of the $17,500 in grants awarded by YAC in 2020, a total of $4,000 directly involved funding for COVID-19 relief for nonprofits to purchase personal protective gear.
The groups also remain involved in community projects, volunteering time and efforts in several areas. Last fall, the Marquette YAC adopted a portion of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail that they help maintain throughout the year. The Greater Ishpeming YAC collected items to assemble hygiene packs that were distributed to 150 students from Ishpeming and NICE Community Schools. Program Associate and Marquette Area YAC Advisor Emma Schultz says the student members in YAC gain valuable experience as part of their involvement:
“The opportunity to learn leadership skills and network with nonprofits and community leaders is not only a great resume builder for young people, but it also shows them the importance of giving back to their communities. YAC is a unique program allowing students, sometimes from different schools, to come together and learn team building while being a part of something positive for the places where they live.”
Over 30 years ago, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation sponsored the Youth Challenge for Community Foundations program, encouraging the establishment and growth of youth endowment funds. Since then, funds have been used exclusively for grants allocated by youth advisory committees for youth programming through local nonprofits. Since being established, YAC has had over 100 students involved in various projects and grantmaking in Marquette County.
All of the YAC groups are currently looking for more student members to get involved. Students in grades 6-12 in Marquette County are eligible to apply. For more information or an application, please contact Emma Schultz at program@cfofmc.org or 906-226-7666.
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund, a collaboration of the Community Foundation of Marquette County and United Way of Marquette County, recently granted over $35,000 to twenty-three Marquette County nonprofits. These grants were given as “phase two” of the fund, supporting operational expenses for local nonprofits.
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund volunteer committee met weekly and biweekly since March 2020 to establish the fund, review applications, and quickly disperse grants as part of phase one. The fund distributed over $88,000 in grants in phase one, supporting basic needs such as food for children and seniors and protective equipment for front-line workers and volunteers, among many other requests.
The committee met in January to review phase two applications, providing operational support for nonprofits. These organizations have been affected by decreases in funding typically provided by fundraising events and admission or program fees. The committee awarded $35,620 in phase two grants to help offset these losses – the complete list of phase two awardees is below.
In the last ten months, the COVID-19 Community Response Fund has awarded over $124,000 in phase one and phase two grants to Marquette County nonprofits and charitable causes.
COVID-19 Community Response Fund Phase Two Grant Recipients
906 Community Church
Bay Cliff Health Camp
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Marquette and Alger Counties, Inc.
Cancer Care of Marquette County
Care Clinic
Forsyth Township Police
Girl Scouts
Hope Free Lutheran Church
Ishpeming Historical Society
Janzen House
Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly
Marquette Alger Resolution Services
Marquette Regional History Center
Moosewood Nature Center
Negaunee Senior Center
NICE Community Schools
Room at the Inn
St. Anthony’s Catholic Parish
Superior Children’s Advocacy
Superior Housing Solutions
The Salvation Army – Marquette and Ishpeming
Trillium House
UP Children’s Museum
