Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

08/26/2026

The end of summer is a good reminder to make time for the places that bring neighbors together. Across southeast Michigan, public spaces supported by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan give families room to play, walk, bike, gather, and connect with nature.

From Stoudamire Park and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park to the Southwest Greenway and The Great Lakes Way, these investments shape how we experience our region and contribute to healthier, more connected communities.

Take a look at a few places worth visiting before summer winds down, and learn why long-term support for public spaces matters: https://bit.ly/45G40gu

08/24/2026

Back-to-school season is a chance to think about what children need to succeed long before and after the first day of class. That work begins early, with healthy beginnings and quality early childhood education, and continues through opportunities to learn, play, build confidence, and pursue higher education.

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan supports partners including Rx Kids, PEDALS, and Project Play: Southeast Michigan, along with scholarship programs that help students pursue their educational goals.

See how our Youth and Education investments connect across a child’s journey at https://bit.ly/45OSijF

08/01/2026

Looking for a way to give that keeps making an impact long after your initial gift? An Endowed Field of Interest Fund lets you direct your support to the causes closest to your heart, invested for the long term.

Learn more about how to give to a Field of Interest Fund here: https://bit.ly/4wD21pa

07/31/2026

In a new op-ed for Detroit News, NEI Executive Director Wafa Dinaro breaks down what's actually holding entrepreneurs back. It’s not just a lack of support. It's the maze of finding the right support at the right moment.

She shares Detroit entrepreneur Jordan Smith's experience building Just Elevate Fitness Club through NEI's partner ecosystem — support that helped him grow, but still left him searching for the right connection at the right moment. Stories like his are exactly what shaped MI Small Business Helper, a free platform now connecting founders to 100+ partner organizations across southeast Michigan.

Check out the full piece to see why NEI is working to make that support easier to find and easier to use. Link in the comments.

07/27/2026

This summer, take time to explore what makes southeast Michigan special.

Visit a local park, hit the trails, cheer on young athletes, support a neighborhood business, or attend a community event. The people, places, and experiences that bring us together help make our region stronger.

Swipe through for a few ways to enjoy the season and discover the organizations, spaces, and opportunities helping southeast Michigan thrive.

07/24/2026

Across southeast Michigan, people are coming together to solve problems, create opportunities, and strengthen their communities.

This month, justice advocates connected with national leaders to bring new ideas back home. Nonprofit leaders gathered to build relationships and share resources. Coaches learned new ways to help more kids discover a love of sports. And entrepreneurs and small business owners came together to network and grow.

Swipe through to see what the Michigan Justice Fund, Pontiac Funders Collaborative, Project Play: Southeast Michigan, and New Economy Initiative have been working on.

07/22/2026

What does a community foundation actually do? At its core, we are a bridge between people who care about this region and the organizations, places, and opportunities working to create meaningful change for generations to come.

Through thoughtful philanthropy, we help individuals and families achieve their charitable goals, support nonprofit leaders and invest in solutions that strengthen communities across southeast Michigan.

Swipe through for a closer look at what we do and visit https://bit.ly/4fmLAG4 to learn more.

07/20/2026

Great parks and recreation are the result of years of intentional investment, collaboration, and community commitment.

Across southeast Michigan, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has invested in parks, trails, and public spaces that create opportunities for residents to connect with one another and with the places they call home.

Swipe through to see some of the recent milestones in our journey to build and sustain more accessible, vibrant public spaces — and visit the link in the comments to learn more about our strategic focus in the Environment and Public Spaces.

07/17/2026

What does it really take to build a giving legacy that lasts? According to family philanthropy expert Susan Schoenfeld, the answers have less to do with finances and more to do with the conversations most families avoid.

Swipe through for five lessons that can help you pass down not just assets, but values.

07/08/2026

The Board of Trustees elected three new members, each for a term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.

Rebecca Bray is the president of Southfield-based Epitec, one of the largest women-owned IT, engineering and professional staffing companies in the United States. She has been recognized with numerous industry honors, including the Staffing Industry Analysts Global Power 150 Women in Staffing, Crain’s Nonprofit Board Leaders, and DBusiness Powered by Women. Bray serves as vice chairperson on the board of Forgotten Harvest, one of her many civic engagements.

Richard Bierschbach is the new president of Wayne State University, where he has worked in various leadership roles for the past nine years. Before joining Wayne State, he served as Vice Dean and professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in New York, where he twice received the Best Professor Award from the graduating class. Earlier in his career, Bierschbach clerked for Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, among other roles. Bierschbach serves on boards including those of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, TechTown Detroit and Research Universities for Michigan.

Joseph R. Parke is a private wealth advisor with Goldman Sachs, where he advises ultra-high-net-worth families, family offices and select nonprofit institutions. He is a member of the firm’s Asset & Wealth Management Growth Committee and co-leads recruiting efforts at the University of Michigan. Parke serves as a trustee of both the Tannahill Foundation, a Community Foundation supporting organization, and the Hudson-Webber Foundation.

Learn more about our changing Board of Trustees at:

During its annual meeting on June 24 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan recognized several changes to its Board of Trustees, including the addition of three new members.