Bay Area Community Foundation

Register today!!!

Tickets are on sale for our Faces of Philanthropy celebration!

Press Release - Bay Area Community Foundation Names Shawna Walraven as its Next President & CEO - Bay Area Community Foundation Diane (Fong) Mahoney, President & CEO of the Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF), has announced her resignation effective September 24, 2024. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees regretfully accepted Mahoney’s resignation and has begun a search for her replacement.

Now accepting applications for the Bay Commitment Scholarship Program and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Scholarship!

To learn more about application requirements and how to apply, head to bayfoundation.org/scholarship-programs/.

Need more help? Call the office at 989-893-4438! Staff are happy to help you through this process.

Get your tickets for the 2024 Faces of Philanthropy Celebration on September 23!

Join us as we celebrate Robert and Joyce Hetzler and Catherine Washabaugh as our 2024 Peggy Rowley Community Enrichment Awardees.

Tickets can be purchased at www.bayfoundation.org/rsvp.

Application deadline is one week away!

If you're a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Bay or Arenac County with a project in mind, our generous donors can help turn those dreams into reality. Whether you're delving into the arts, education, environment, health, human services, recreation or community initiatives – we have grants available to support you!

The grant application window is open from July 8 to September 9, and awards will be granted in November. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your nonprofit initiatives and contribute to the positive growth of our community.

Apply now at www.bayfoundation.org/grant-programs/

Have questions? Call the office and ask for the program officer, Madi Syring, at 989-893-4438

Grant from the Bay Area Community Foundation will fund the Oral History Program

The Bay Area Community Foundation awarded the Bay County Historical Society $2500 from their Community Initiative Fund. The money will be used to purchase equipment to conduct, transcribe, and preserve Bay County's oral histories. In the last year, seven individuals participated in the BCHS' oral history program. They shared their personal stories about their experiences in Bay County. However, the program was put on pause this last spring. The museum needed better equipment to record, edit, and transcribe the interviews. The grant from the Bay Area Community Foundation will allow the staff to purchase the right equipment and go forward with the project. The goal is to have it up and running again in 2025.

A special thank you to the Bay Area Community Foundation for supporting this program and believing in our mission "to preserve the history of Bay County and to develop facilities and programs dedicated to the enhancement, enrichment and enjoyment of our community."

To learn more about the program and listen to the interviews visit the website's ORAL HISTORY PAGE: http://www.bchsmuseum.org/oralhistory.html

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“YAC has been an amazing opportunity and not just on a personal growth level,” Woods says. “The networking connections I’ve made have helped push me further to get involved, to be present and have the confidence to speak up.”

Read Jayce’s story now!

Our Youth Advisory Committee-Bay Area Community Foundation gives community students real philanthropic experience and helps them build social and networking skills all while making an impact in our community!

"Participating in YAC has done a lot for me. I’ve learned to speak up, how to balance listening and offering opinions, and how to get my voice heard," says Jayce Woods. Click https://bit.ly/4cKRIV0 to read more about how participating in the Bay Area Community Foundation's Youth Advisory Committee empowers teens.

At Bay Area Community Foundation, we believe every child deserves a strong start. In 2023, we invested in early childhood programs to ensure that children from birth to age 5 are ready to thrive when they enter kindergarten. Through a $300,000 grant initiative, 21 local childcare providers received support to expand capacity and improve quality for families in Bay County.

Together, we’re addressing the gap in childcare and helping build a community where all children have access to the care and learning they deserve. 💙

Check out our 2023 Annual Report to learn more about our work for Bay County’s youngest!

Find the full report and a link to the Analysis of Bay County Childcare here: https://bayfoundation.org/2023-annual-report/

Meet Ocean-Lea Schrader, a 2023 Zoe Fund Scholarship recipient, and an inspiring example of perseverance and dedication.

Her story, highlighted in our 2023 Annual Report, reflects your impact on students pursuing their dreams. Balancing family, work and education, Ocean-Lea graduated with a 4.0 GPA, showing us what resilience and determination can achieve. 💙

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we continue to invest in bright futures like Ocean-Lea's. Learn more about stories like hers in our 2023 Annual Report! ✨

Read the full report here: https://bayfoundation.org/2023-annual-report/

Connecting people who care with organizations making a difference – it's what we do at Bay Area Community Foundation.

Thanks to your generosity, over $2.39 million was invested into Bay and Arenac counties in 2023! Together, we’re building a community united, thriving and resilient. 💙

Check out our 2023 Annual Report to see how your support is creating lasting impact. With you by our side, we’re excited for what the next 40 years and beyond will bring!

2023 Annual Report - Bay Area Community Foundation 2023 Annual Report 8x8Download

Kick off party tomorrow to celebrate the UWG 2nd City of Mural Community Festival !

CITY OF ART: Local and international artists to paint new murals in Bay City at festival Bay City is about to get more beautiful with the inclusion of three more community-painted murals.

This is community impact! Many individuals giving time, talent and treasure to ensure our students go back to school with the essentials they need. Thank you United Way of Bay County for coordinating this program!

Raw. Real. Emotional. Connecting. Honest.

Last night was incredible! Thank you for sharing our space and your hearts with us.

RAW AND REAL: I am ALWAYS appreciative however…

Yesterday. In Bay City. Was. Amazing!

The vulnerability, openness, and real conversation was liberating, connecting, engaging, and appreciated! Yes- the conversation was raw. It was real. It got hard- for some- at times. It made some uncomfortable. Voices elevated. It got spicy at times. Eyes were wide and a few mouths dropped.

It. Was. Amazing! It went how it’s supposed to go. We discussed honesty and trust me it got real and honest. We need this. Especially now more than ever.

So I need to thank everyone who got real. I need to thank everyone who listened. Thanks to everyone who showed up and who stayed. Thank you to everyone that felt uncomfortable but worked through it. You all modeled our mission. It meant a lot to watch in real time- us doing the work!! Thank you. More thank yous to come.

Don’t take my word for it. People were there. It was amazing. Hope to see you in October.

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Pre show starts at 6:30 p.m.
Live show starts at 7:00 p.m.

See you soon!

BAY CITY!!! The table is set and we’re ready! Are you? Grab a bite to eat, listen to some great music, and build community!

See you soon! It’s a beautiful day to have a wonderful conversation!

BAY CITY! Are you ready? We are! Can’t wait to see you in 2 days!!

🎤Pre-show 6:30 pm “Source of Light and Power”
🎤Live Show 7:00 pm The Conversation Begins

Honesty and Transparency! Are you ready to be honest? Are you ready for the honesty? See you soon in Bay City at the Pere Marquette Depot, 1000 Adams St.

Register here: tbbv.org/live-show

Application deadline is one month away!

If you're a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Bay or Arenac County with a project in mind, our generous donors can help turn those dreams into reality. Whether you're delving into the arts, education, environment, health, human services, recreation or community initiatives – we have grants available to support you!

The grant application window is open from July 8 to September 9, and awards will be granted in November. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your nonprofit initiatives and contribute to the positive growth of our community.

Apply now at www.bayfoundation.org/grant-programs/

Have questions? Call the office and ask for the program officer, Madi Syring, at 989-893-4438

See you Tuesday!

BAY CITY! I hope you’re ready because we are! Being honest is hard but we’ve find some folks who are ready to lay it all on the table!

So much is happening around us and we’re going to explore and share some of what we’ve been feeling.

We can’t wait. Hope to see you there.

Register here: tbbv.org/live-show

Over 1,000 students will have the proper gear for back to school thanks to United Way of Bay County and our Youth Advisory Committee-Bay Area Community Foundation!

TOMORROW! From 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Delta College Planetarium representatives from BACF, Bay City Public Schools, Bay-Arenac ISD and more community partners will be available to help graduating seniors and past graduates complete their FAFSA. College admissions counselors will also be on site to help with applications! Check out the attached flyer for more details, and head to https://bit.ly/3LyYVwv to register.

Registration is not required but is encouraged! Those who register will receive promos during the event!

Register for the August 13 show! Conversation will cover Honesty & Transparency. Can we be honest about being honest with one another?! Register today! https://tbbv.org/live-show

FAFSA Frenzy this Wednesday, August 7! You don’t want to miss this if you are a graduating senior or you’ve already graduated and need help filling out your FAFSA!

College-bound students can attend free FAFSA application event at Delta planetarium The event was made possible through a Michigan College Access Network grant.

We hope to see you on August 13!!!! Register now!

ONE WEEK AWAY! August 7 is a FAFSA Frenzy! From 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Delta College Planetarium representatives from BACF, Bay City Public Schools, Bay-Arenac ISD and more community partners will be available to help graduating seniors and past graduates complete their FAFSA. College admissions counselors will also be on site to help with applications! Check out the attached flyer for more details, and head to https://bit.ly/3LyYVwv to register.

Registration is not required but is encouraged! Those who register will receive promos during the event!