A trust fund geared toward the Greater Lansing Area is starting to pay off.
Capital Region Community Foundation is a community piggy bank where contributors can earmark donations for the cause of their choice. The foundation, organized in January, has received two grants so far.
"It's a chance for donors to help build an endowment and witness the effects their philanthropy will have on the community's future," said Mary Olson, executive director of the foundation.
The foundation accepts requests for gifts and donations, memorial funds, scholarship funds and endowments.
Donors may choose quality of life concerns such as the arts and humanities, civic affairs, conservation, education, health and social services.
But Olson said donors don't have to specify where the money goes.
"Undesignated funds offer the greatest flexibility to meet community needs as they arrive," Olson said.
About 600 homeowners in Lansing and East Lansing have already benefitted from nearly $1 million.
A $310,097 grant from the Council of Michigan Foundations was matched by a $620,194 grant from eight agencies interested in energy efficiency.
Some of the money came indirectly from a state settlement with Exxon and other oil companies who overcharged consumers in the late 1970s. The Michigan money was supposed to go toward energy improvements for low income households.
The Community Foundation translated that into water heaters, insulation, high efficiency light bulbs, storm windows and a variety of other energy gadgets.
LeRoy Harvey, coordinator of the Urban Options Fitness Program installing the energy saver features, said one Lansing and one East Lansing neighborhood have been targeted for the free installation.
Harvey said citizens outside the target neighborhoods may be eligible if they meet income guidelines and live within Lansing or East Lansing city limits.
The Community Fund is hoping for a $100,000 grant from the Kellogg
Foundation to go toward local youth programs, Olson said.
"If we raise $200,000 in endowments, Kellogg will give $100,000,"
she said.
Olson said the beauty of a Community Foundation is that it can be flexible about the projects it funds.
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Jon Harrison
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