Good news from our friends at Rotary Charities – Marsha Smith and Becky Ewing:

First-Ever Funder Collaborative Supports the Bayfront Plan

 There will be a major groundbreaking ceremony this fall at Clinch Park, but something even more groundbreaking will precede the first shovelful of dirt.

For the first time in history, a group of regional funders has come together in a coordinated approach to provide support for the Bayfront Plan to the tune of over $260,000.  Consisting of ten private, family and public foundations, these regional funders have been meeting over the past ten years. This is the first time they have come together to jointly fund a project.

“We have been meeting primarily to network and share knowledge. Last spring, we decided it was time to explore a funding collaborative and the group was most excited about the Bayfront Plan”, said Marsha Smith, Executive Director of Rotary Charities.

“It met a lot of our foundations’ criteria and was a great example of community-identified need. As funders, we often require our grantees collaborate with one another, but we rarely work together on projects. The result of our work here is being watched across the state as an example of how funders might come together to address community need.”

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The funders’ contribution of $260,000, when added to $450,000 from the MI Natural Resources Trust Fund and $450,000 from the DDA, brings together a total of $1.16 million for Phase I of the bayfront plan, which will be concentrated at the former zoo property and Clinch Park Beach.

The city commission and the parks and rec commission will be having a joint meeting this Monday night to hear about the funders collaborative and to talk about this year’s implementation of the first phase of the bayfront plan.  More to come.

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