News

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and look forward to an auspicious 2023 with us. There is so much happening this year and we’re excited to share it with you. Highlights include: New staff members, celebrating 60 years, youth council grants, new tax laws, deadlines for scholarships, and new website coming soon!

AAACF is pleased to announce that the Youth Council is now accepting applications! This year, the grant program will accept applications from organizations that support high school age youth and deliver programs addressing: Mental Health Initiatives, Academic Support Services, Post High School Preparation, and Anti-discrimination Initiatives

We're grateful to the many new & returning friends who joined us in-person (for the first time since 2019!) at Washtenaw Community College last month. It was a pleasure to share the space with 300+ community members for networking and a program of storytelling, announcements, and community updates. Read on for more, watch the highlight reel, and check out photos on Facebook.

We are pleased to introduce the new Youth Council members who are joining the committee this academic year! They represent a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives in our community, which are critical to the thoughtful decisions of the Youth Council. These Washtenaw County high school students oversee annual grants of $85,000+ and volunteer in the community.

We are pleased to release the AAACF Community Scholarship Program Progress Report: 2022 Key Outcomes from Evaluation and Analysis. In late 2014 AAACF decided to take this strategic approach to offering college scholarships when an analysis revealed its existing funds were not adequately addressing the educational gaps among local students. This report shows how far it has come and gets us excited for what is ahead for CSP.

AAACF is pleased to participate in this co-funding opportunity to bring additional supports to Washtenaw County, in partnership with the Wilson Foundation. Read more below.

In this issue: Gathering Together—"Plan B” & Beyond, Impact from Your Place-Based Giving, In Loving Memory of Connie Dunlap, Pursuing Healthy & Fulfilling Aging, and EmpowerMENt Fund Updates

We mourn the recent loss of Connie Dunlap, a dear friend of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. In September 2017 in connection with renovations at the AAACF offices, a space was named in honor of this extraordinary volunteer and donor: The Connie Dunlap Library, in memory of Robert Bruce Dunlap (Connie’s beloved husband). The library signage and a commemorative tree plaque reflect gifts made in honor of Connie Dunlap from many community members touched by her gifts of time, generosity, and wisdom over many years—from Ozone House to Glacier Hills Foundation to the U-M Library, which she oversaw for many years.

As we hope for a brighter 2022 for all, we are also grateful for what we accomplished together in 2021 for Washtenaw County. In this issue, we look back and look forward: Welcome to Shannon Polk as President & CEO, 2021 Year in Review, Forever Washtenaw blog by Sean White, 2022 Scholarship Applications, and 2021 Grant Highlights.

The Community Foundation's commitment to impact investing continues to grow — and with it, we're growing the team! AAACF has just added a dedicated staff member, Sean White, as our Impact Investment Manager. Sean will provide leadership to significantly grow the portion of AAACF’s portfolio dedicated to local investments that generate both financial and social returns.