OUR STORY

 The Beginning …

 In November of 1996, a group of nine community leaders, Richard Ransford, Robert Tuckey, Susan Walker, Sue Ransford, Harry Schubel, Richard Donahue, Linda Marshall, Richard Kern, and L. James White from the Caro and Cass City areas began a conversation to determine the requirements to establish a community foundation. Part of their motivation was the knowledge that the W. K. Kellogg Foundation had issued a challenge grant opportunity to communities across Michigan to establish community foundations. The challenge issued was that the Kellogg Foundation would match one dollar (up to $1,000,000) for every two dollars raised by community foundations that established youth advisory councils (YAC). With a deadline fast approaching, a grant application was submitted April 1, 1997, and simultaneously a youth advisory council, also referred to as a “YAC” across the state was established. The YAC quickly renamed itself Future Youth Involvement (FYI). The first FYI grants were awarded in September of 1999. 

After a period of discussions with potential partners, in early 1998, the trustees of the William A. and Ruth Janks Foundation and the Claude D. and Etta H. Andrews Foundation agreed to terminate their private foundation status and become part of the new Tuscola County Community Foundation (TCCF). With all the Kellogg Challenge Grant requirements fulfilled and the application submitted, a Challenge Youth Project Grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation was received by TCCF in two installments – $900,000 in November of 1998 and $100,000 in August of 1999.

TCCF Governance…

 TCCF is governed by a board of up to fifteen community leader volunteers from various professions including agriculture, business, finance, education, and law representing communities throughout Tuscola County. They establish policies and procedures and have the responsibility to hire the foundation’s executive director who they delegate to administer day-to-day operations. The Board regularly meets and receives recommendations from the various committees they have established and make final decisions based on those recommendations.

TCCF Leadership…

 TCCF has employed five executive directors during its’ first 26 years beginning with L. James White, Don Hahn, and Susan “Suze” Walker. Ken Micklash began in May of 2005 and steadily grew the foundation until his retirement in the fall of 2018 when our current executive director, John Hunter was hired. Each can be credited with growing the foundation and moving the organization forward ever mindful of our mission’s tag line – For good. For ever.

FYI’s primary Youth Advisors during the first 20 years were Paula Gromak and John Hunter, with shorter times of service from Nick Bauerschmidt, Mandy Herman, Maureen Murphy, and Jennifer Parker. Current FYI Advisors are Megan Bartolowits and Jackie List-Houser.  Both Nick and Jackie are also former FYI members.

TCCF Granting…

 The foundation has two main granting cycles each year with applications being taken in the months of September (fall cycle) and February (spring cycle) each year. The Founders Fund and Tuscola County Emergency Needs Fund accept applications continuously.

Student scholarships are announced in cooperation with each school district in the Tuscola County Intermediate School District. Applications are made available to students through their school guidance offices in early February each year.

TCCF investing…

All gifts to the Foundation become part of a lasting endowment. The principal is responsibly managed – only spendable income is used to fund projects according to the terms of donor agreements. Funds are invested through financial consultants in several balanced portfolios. The performance of each investment portfolio is reviewed regularly by the Foundation’s Finance Committee.

Additionally, the Foundation’s financial position is evaluated on an annual basis by an independent audit. Thanks to these safeguards, donors can be assured that their legacy contribution will be preserved, and earnings will be maximized over time forever.

TCCF Information…

To learn more about TCCF we encourage you to call our office and/or read about the good we do in our published Annual Reports. Our office is located at 1100 E Caro Road (2^nd floor of the Northstar Bank Building) and we are generally open during normal business hours on weekdays.

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