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Update Kalamazoo Community Foundation Issue 3 2015
Equity: Engaging people, increasing capacity, removing barriers WE SEE EQUITY AS NOT ONLY A TOP STRATEGIC PRIORITY, BUT ALSO AS A CORE VALUE AND FRAMEWORK FOR ALL OF OUR WORK [PAGE 4]
These are busy times here at your Community Foundation. This spring the Finance & Administration team focused on the annual financial statement audit, which received an unqualified opinion — the highest opinion given by auditors. Currently the leadership team is analyzing the results of the second study of our revenues and costs. We want to ensure our operations and funding mechanisms are operating at the highest efficiency and that the business model is in alignment with our strategy. If you’ve seen our 2014 Annual Report, you know that a national survey by Council on Foundations found that our seven-year investment return ranked first among all community foundations. We are diligent in our care of funds entrusted here, striving to provide maximum grantmaking and community leadership investments while preserving the original purchasing value of gifts. We are committed to an investment strategy of disciplined asset allocation, regular rebalancing, minimizing fees and expenses, and not reacting to near-term market pressures or new investment fads. Leveraging the ever-lasting power of endowed funds — especially unrestricted gifts — provides your Community Foundation with the means to do critical work in the community, such as equity, which you’ll be reading about in this issue. The journey to equity is long, but it is rewarding to know the work we are doing — with many community partners — will break down the barriers that prevent all of our neighbors from accessing the opportunities that have traditionally only been available to some. I feel privileged to work for an organization with equity as a key goal. Love where you live. Susan Springgate Vice President, Finance & Administration
We’d love to know what you think of this publication. Share your feedback at www.kalfound.org/feedback.
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What we fund We fund 501(c)(3) nonprofits for projects that fit within our community investment priorities and will benefit Kalamazoo County.
Mail a check Kalamazoo Community Foundation 402 East Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3888 Make a planned gift There are many ways for you to plan now for a gift later. To learn more, get in touch with our Donor Relations team at 269.381.4416 or donorrelations@kalfound.org.
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What we don’t fund We don’t fund for-profit business development projects, private land purchases or private home purchases. How to apply Start the process at www.kalfound. org/howtoapply.
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Equity for all The Kalamazoo Community Foundation envisions a community where every person can reach full potential. This can’t happen unless all people have equitable opportunities to live positive lives. Here, in their own words, are the personal perspectives of three partners working towards equity for people in Kalamazoo County.
Tracy Hall
Jonathan Romero
Jay Maddock
Western Michigan University Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science
Michigan Immigrants Rights Center and Welcoming Michigan
Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center
It should be no surprise to anyone
Michigan holds a special place in
We have more work to do when it
that gender inequality is a pervasive
my heart as it received me with
comes to equality for lesbian, gay,
and systemic problem around the
open arms when I was a newcomer.
bisexual, transgender and queer
world. Right here in the United
Michiganders welcomed me in
individuals and families. When
States, women lack an equitable
many ways: they loaned me their
40 percent of homeless youth
place at the table in just about
cars to do groceries, they invited
are LGBTQ, we must do more.
every major political, social and
me home for Thanksgiving, and
When transwomen are being
economic institution. Specifically,
they connected me to jobs. These
criminalized and murdered, we
the gap in women in electoral
acts of kindness set me up for
must do more. When it is still legal
politics is ubiquitous even though
success. Today, I promote the same
in Michigan to fire or refuse housing
women have been outvoting men
values in my community-building
to someone because they are
since the 1980s. For example,
work around immigrant integration.
LGBTQ, we must do more. When
women comprise approximately
I believe it is imperative to build
safe health care is not accessible
20 percent of the seats in Congress
and support strong, secure and
to LGBTQ people we must do
and less than 25 percent of the
successful places to live. We must
more. Until we acknowledge the
seats in the State Legislatures
work together and leverage the
intersections between racial justice,
and statewide elected executive
full potential of all who live
immigrant justice, economic justice,
offices. Historically our society has
here, so that we may improve
reproductive justice and LGBTQ
discouraged women from getting
the livelihoods of all our
justice, we cannot do more. It’s
involved in electoral politics. We
neighbors, including the 12,175
time for us, as a community to do
must continue to alter this mindset
foreign-born residents of this
more by acknowledging how our
and encourage women to run for
community. Extending a hand can
individual causes are tied. We are
political office at every level.
benefit us all. Together. It’s better.
stronger in action together. ISSUE 3 2015
KALFOUND.ORG
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equality
equity
Equity: Engaging people, increasing capacity, removing barriers Lately it seems as though reports
all doing better, our community will
highlighting disparities in infant
not truly succeed. Until we remove the
mortality rates, high school graduation
barriers some encounter, Kalamazoo
rates, health care access, employment
County cannot be a community where
rates are surfacing with increasing
every person can reach full potential.
frequency. It can be easy to “sleep
Over the last few years, we’ve
through the static,” until we consider
learned that expanding the diversity
that the numbers in these reports
of the voices we hear can greatly
are actually people.
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improve how we understand and
These reports don’t just present
address community issues. So we’ve
information; they tell stories — stories
become more intentional about
about children, their parents, our
engaging the community, and strive
community. When we value these
to incorporate diverse perspectives
reports for the stories they tell and not
as “standard operating procedure.”
just the numbers they present, we can
As a demonstration of this, our first
better understand that unless we are
step in planning our 2015 Community
KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
ISSUE 3 2015
We cannot be the community we believe we are, until racism, homophobia, sexism and discrimination of all kinds is not a part of anyone’s daily life.
Meeting was to ask our community
individuals, organizations and
partners to share their suggestions
consultants — have already begun
for speakers who could provide a
to help us shape a strategy for
thought-provoking message that
impacting equity in Kalamazoo
would help us all better understand
County. We are currently conducting
the concept of equity. As a result,
a scan of equity work going on in
the November event will feature
the county.
best-selling author Ta-Nehisi Coates, who will speak about race in America. [Sponsored by PNC Bank, Coates’ talk is also part of a University Center for the Humanities at WMU’s 2015/2016 speaker series: Reimagining Communities.]
“By better understanding what assets and resources — human and financial — we have, we will be able to determine where we have the greatest opportunity to leverage our support and offer leadership.” says Pickett-Erway.
Input from the community also
“We hope to identify the gaps that
informed the identification of our
are not being addressed, identify
strategic priorities: equity and
how we might help those that are
education. We are committed to
already doing great work, and
improving educational outcomes
elevate our collective efforts to
and removing the barriers that
transform our community.”
prevent all people from reaching full potential. As we engage in this work, understanding equity becomes critical. Says President/CEO Carrie Pickett-Erway, “As an organization, we recognized early on that to be effective at increasing equity and reducing disparities, we would have to address the gaps in our own awareness, knowledge and capacity.” “While we’ve been working hard on this for several years, we know our learned experience is inadequate and incomplete compared to the lived experience of people who are the targets of discrimination,” she says. “So working with the community and not just for the community is essential.” Many community partners —
At the same time, we also continue to examine our internal policies and practices. We need to ensure that every aspect of our daily work — in every functional area and at every level — fully reflects our core values: diversity, equity and inclusion; integrity; and excellence. We know the people who live, work and raise their families in Kalamazoo County passionately believe it is a special place where amazing things happen. We believe this passion can provide the momentum our community needs to eliminate the social, legal, economic and other barriers that prevent every person from reaching full potential and living positive lives.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
2015 Community Meeting 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 | Miller Auditorium We envision a community where every person can reach full potential, and that can’t happen unless all people have equitable opportunities to live positive lives. At our 2015 Community Meeting, Ta-Nehisi Coates will talk with us about race in America. Coates is a national correspondent at The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics and social issues. He is the author of The Beautiful Struggle and Between the World and Me. Written as a letter to his 15-year-old son, Between the World and Me discusses America’s history of racial violence, and explores what it is like to be black in this country. He is Journalist-in-Residence at the School of Journalism at City University of New York and previously served as Martin Luther King Visiting Associate Professor at MIT. He received the George Polk Award for Commentary in 2014. Register for free by calling 269.381.4416 or visiting www.kalfound.org/2015CM. Special thanks to our lead sponsor:
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Learn more about our grantmaking online at www.kalfound.org/grants.
Recent grant highlights 12 GRANTS AWARDED FROM STRATEGIC, FLEXIBLE RESOURCES We awarded 12 grants totaling nearly $1.2 million
• Douglass Community Association
to Kalamazoo County nonprofits in our most recent
• Kalamazoo County Land Bank / Vibrant Kalamazoo
grantmaking round. We make community investments in quality programs that we believe will make Kalamazoo County a place where every person can reach full potential.
• Kalamazoo County Ready 4s • Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes • Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
The nonprofits that received grants are:
• United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region
• Crescendo Academy of Music
• Volunteer Kalamazoo
• Community Healing Centers, Inc.
• YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo (two grants)
• Comstock Community Center
Kalamazoo Community Foundation Investment Performance SECOND QUARTER 2015 Qtr 2
YTD
3 Yrs
5 Yrs
7 Yrs
Actual
0.3%
1.9%
12.4%
12.1%
8.5%
Benchmark
0.2%
1.4%
10.7%
11.0%
7.3%
Actual
-0.6%
1.0%
9.9%
10.6%
8.6%
Benchmark
-0.7%
0.7%
9.4%
10.4%
7.4%
Core Assets Moderate Growth Performance
Income and Growth Performance
Investment performance is net of manager fees and derived from core Kalamazoo Community Foundation assets allocated into its two investment strategies. Historic performance for each is then derived from linkages to prior quarterly returns. Performance reflects prior changes in asset allocations while benchmarks assume current allocations. For more information about our investment performance, please contact Susan Springgate at 269.381.4416 or sspringgate@kalfound.org.
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ISSUE 3 2015
Mary Spradling died in 2009. Today she’s teaching people about the history, experiences and contributions of African Americans. Mary loved Kalamazoo. She was Kalamazoo Public Library’s first black professional librarian and was instrumental in initiating the city’s official recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Her own legacy is a collection of 2,800 books, magazines and record albums highlighting the history, experiences and contributions of African Americans that she donated to Kalamazoo Valley Community College in 1998. A Community Foundation fund created in her
Our Team Zach Bauer 269.585.7236 / zbauer@kalfound.org Coby Chalmers 269.585.7249 / cchalmers@kalfound.org Joanna Donnelly Dales 269.585.7260 / jdales@kalfound.org
honor by friends maintains and enhances the collection.
Ann Fergemann 269.585.7238 / afergemann@kalfound.org
We can help you show your love for Kalamazoo
Jeanne Grubb 269.585.7248 / jgrubb@kalfound.org
and leave a legacy too. Contact a member of our Donor Relations team or visit www.kalfound.org to learn how.
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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage paid Kalamazoo, MI Permit Number 66
402 East Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3888 269.381.4416 www.kalfound.org
On the Cover To help us and the community get ready for our 2015 Community Meeting on November 3, we’re working with a variety of community partners who are advancing equity in Kalamazoo County. Pictured with President/CEO Carrie Pickett Erway (second from left) are (from left to right) Donna Odom, SHARE; Jacob Pinney-Johnson, SHARE; Rev. Dr. B. Jo Ann Mundy, ERACCE; Chéree Thomas, SHARE and Douglass Community Association; Lillie Wolff, ERACCE; and Fernando Ospina, ERACCE. Photo by Jacqueline Luttrell
KZCF: Then and Now A few things have changed since the Community Foundation was born in 1925. Then In 1925, a committee of five community leaders — Alfred Connable, Elias Hoekstra, Edward Desenberg, Harold Upjohn (pictured top left) and William Lawrence Sr. — guided the activities of the Community Foundation. Early lead administrators performed their tasks as additional duties to regular jobs and had the title of secretary, beginning with Earl Weber, who served for nearly three decades. There would be acting secretaries such as Richard Light, Harold Allen and Merrill Taylor, until Howard Kalleward became Executive Secretary in 1967 and led the organization for two decades. In the 1990s, following Kalleward, our leaders became known as President/CEO and include: Dr. Jack Hopkins, Dr. Juan Olivarez and Don VanderKooy (as Interim President/CEO).
1925 2015
Now Carrie Pickett-Erway, pictured below left, is our President/CEO (the first woman to serve in this role) and we are governed by a seven-member board of trustees: Si Johnson, chairperson; Frank Sardone, vice chairperson; Jim Escamilla; Barbara James; Amy Upjohn; Hon. Carolyn Williams; and Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran. Our trustees represent diverse community interests and, as trustees have since 1925, donate their time, energy and expertise to help us identify opportunities for long-term community impact, respond appropriately when unforeseen challenges arise, and address community needs.