Pontiac Funders Collaborative

WITH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN & PARTNERS

Research / Facilitation / Project Management / Strategy

A cohort of regional funders, including Ballmer Group, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, General Motors, Flagstar Bank Foundation, New Economy Initiative, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Tauber Family Foundation, and the William Davidson Foundation, have begun working together to better understand community needs, assess capacity in the nonprofit landscape, and identify opportunities for collaborative funding in Pontiac, Michigan. 

Our work began with a research phase in which we held interviews with community leaders, reviewed existing research and ongoing initiatives in the city, and conducted a brief online survey of community members. As follow up to that research, we supported the collaborative through a combination of diligent project management, flexible facilitation, respectful engagement, and thoughtful communication. In partnership with this diverse set of funders, we have listened to and incorporated the varying needs and interests of the community and the funders to ensure an efficient planning effort, and a stable governance structure with which to carry forward. 

On this work, we partnered with LaToya Morgan, a Detroit-based consultant who specializes in nonprofit and philanthropic strategy.

The program is currently in the early stages of its launch. More information is available here