Michigan Community Resources

08/20/2026

Our work with the Transforming Solidarity Collective (TSC) serves to strengthen the infrastructure around nonprofit organizations that support community needs. Nonprofits can't do everything alone, but are expected to know how to shoulder all the responsibilities of running an operation in a changing landscape.
MCR, like other TSC members, works to meet the needs of those organizations. With support from organizations like the The Kresge Foundation, we can continue moving forward. They wrote about the investments being made in this infrastructure, which you can read below.

Five regional foundations invest $2 million to strengthen a coordinated model that helps nonprofits access trusted expertise, practical resources and peer learning. Every day across Southeast Michigan, nonprofit organizations strengthen neighborhoods, expand opportunity, support families and respond...

08/20/2026

The reality is that foundation grants won’t fund everyone, and even more than that, can’t fund everyone. Even for organizations that are very successful at grantwriting, the numbers don’t always add up in a way where everything can get covered with grants alone.
At our next Dandelion Gathering, our panelists will discuss the alternative fundraising strategies they use to keep their missions running. Join us on September 23rd.
Register:

The registration page for the MCR led Dandelion Gathering, Alternative Fundraising Panel.

08/14/2026

Thank you to all those who came out to yesterday's Gathering in Kalamazoo, on Advocacy and Lobbying. On September 23rd, our next Dandelion Gathering will deal with Alternative Fundraising.
With traditional foundation grants inconsistent and unreliable to meet all operational needs, what other methods are available to hold the budget together? Our panelists will discuss their real world experiences and strategies that have worked for them. Register now.
MCR Dandelion Event #2 https://hubs.li/Q04sGn9N0

08/12/2026

Who your work is for matters. For MCR, knowing our clients personally lets us understand how our work impacts the sector more broadly. For our clients, it often means understanding that the words you use to describe your work can mean different things to different people. In our visit to Corktown Neighborhood Association, we discussed affordability and land trusts, in addition to other topics.
Watch the video here:
https://hubs.li/Q04rGYL20

08/11/2026

What does your organization need to know when it comes to advocating for your communities? For nonprofits, knowing the legal distinctions between advocacy and lobbying can help to keep your organization safe. On Thursday, we facilitate a conversation about this very topic. In partnership with oneplace at kpl, we'll be in Kalamazoo walking organizations through the important differences.
Register and learn more.
https://hubs.li/Q04rGwqz0

08/10/2026

McGregor lifting up their support for the TSC. MCR's work with the Transforming Solidarity Collective is supported by an invested cohort of funders.
We're working together to make sure nonprofits doing community work have a robust network of support.

📣 Sharing news: "The Transforming Solidarity Collective — a consortium of five Southeast Michigan nonprofit support groups that first came together during the Covid pandemic — have rejoined to serve as a single point of contact for nonprofits in crisis, connecting them with legal, financial, operational and advocacy support before their situations become unmanageable."

The Transforming Solidarity Collective is: Michigan Community Resources, Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Co.act Detroit, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Nonprofit Enterprise at Work.

From Shamyle Dobbs, Co-CEO of Michigan Community Resources:

“Across Southeast Michigan, nonprofits are operating in one of the most uncertain periods they have faced in decades. Rather than asking organizations to determine which intermediary, consultant or funder they should call or (to) navigate multiple intake processes, we are designing a shared front door and coordinated assessment process that connects leaders to the right expertise, at the right time, through the right partner. The goal is a seamless point of entry that assesses an organization’s needs holistically and coordinates support across the network.”

➡️ Read "Foundations pledge $2M to ramp up one-stop-shop for nonprofits in crisis" in Crain's Detroit Business: https://tinyurl.com/4pnm3wdb

08/10/2026

Nonprofit work is powered by the passion of community leaders, but even the ones most driven to serve run into issues that keep them from achieving their missions. When the rules around the business and operational parts of nonprofit work hold organizations back, MCRs team serves to help sort out the requirements and keep leaders moving forward. We added two new lawyers to our team to help ensure clients can maintain their momentum. Read about our legal work and how our team is growing in our recent blog post:

Meeting the Moment: MCR's Legal Team Grows

A blog about the new attorneys joining MCRs legal team.

08/06/2026

Next week, August 13th, we are facilitating another Advocacy and Lobbying Dandelion Gathering in Kalamazoo. In partnership with onePlace at KPL, we will be discussing how nonprofits can keep themselves safe when the speak out on the issues that matter most to them.
Learn more and register:

Nonprofits deal with social issues and community needs and can find themselves in the challenging middle ground between service and advocacy. When politics impact a nonprofits ability to meet its…

08/05/2026

Our relationships allow us to know how the organizations we serve think about their communities. Knowing the "why" means we are better able to tailor our support, whether it's navigating the legal hurdles of operations, or simply getting the wording right on their grant application, to make sure that they come away with solutions that reflect their values.
We dig into North Corktown Neighborhood Association's whys in our recent video.
https://hubs.li/Q04rGtLr0

08/04/2026

We made it in Crain's! Read about how MCR and our funding and intermediary partners are coming together to provide coordinated support to the sector.

https://hubs.li/Q04rT3cH0