The Chelsea Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, marked an important milestone in 2013 when it exceeded $1 million in cumulative grants to Chelsea-area nonprofits since its founding in 1995.
The Chelsea Community Foundation is a permanent community endowment established with the donations of individuals and businesses to enhance the quality of life in the Chelsea community.
The most recent cycle of grants was awarded in December 2013.
A grant of $24,500 was made to the Chelsea Senior Citizens Activities Center to support a volunteer-based system to help senior citizens in Chelsea maintain their independence.
A grant of more than $16,000 went to the Purple Rose Theatre Company to support the continuation of a new play development partnership with the Chelsea District Library. The program commissions plays from Midwestern playwrights and involves the community in staged readings and workshops.
The Chelsea Community Foundation, which will celebrate 20 years of service to the community in 2015, offers a unique avenue for individuals to pursue their charitable interests. As stewards of charitable giving in the Chelsea area, the foundation offers advice and guidance about philanthropy and makes connections to nonprofits that are doing effective work in the community.
“We work with donors at all levels to fulfill their charitable goals,” said Peter M. Feeney, chair of the Chelsea Community Foundation advisory committee in a press release. “As a permanent endowment, we’re here forever. We are able to make grants that positively impact the residents of Chelsea due to the generosity of many people in our community. We look forward to granting out our next million dollars in the years to come.”
One of the earliest and most significant community donors to the Community Foundation’s endowment was the Chelsea State Bank. To celebrate the bank’s centennial in 1997, they made a gift of $250,000, effectively launching the foundation and providing important momentum that encouraged other charitable individuals and organizations to become involved.
“It was a big commitment of resources for the Chelsea State Bank, but it has proven to be an excellent investment in the well-being of our community,” said John K. Mann, CEO of the bank. “We are successful because Chelsea is a strong and healthy community, and the Foundation is a vehicle for ensuring our support for the residents of Chelsea now and far into the future.”
The Chelsea Community Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations working in diverse areas, including the arts, health and human services, education, conservation and recreation.
To learn more about the impact of these investments, and how you can apply for a grant or make a donation, please click here.
