Leading grantees funded by the porter family Foundation include:
CLIMATE
Ecology Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Ecoworks, Detroit, MI
Environmental Law & Policy Center, Chicago, IL
ERB Institute for Sustainable Enterprise, Ann Arbor, MI
Fresh Energy, St. Paul, MN
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Traverse City, MI
Huron River Watershed Council, Ann Arbor, MI
Institute for Energy and Innovation, Lansing, MI
Make Food Not Waste
Michigan Climate Action Network, Lansing, MI
National Wildlife Federation,
Soulardarity, Detroit, MI
Voices for Carbon Neutrality
ENVIRONMENT
Center for Michigan: Bridge
Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Detroit, MI
Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, Detroit, MI
Ecology Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Environmental Law & Policy Center, Chicago, IL
FLOW, For Love of Water, Traverse City, MI
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Traverse City, MI
Leelanau Conservancy, Leland, MI
Michigan Environmental Council , Lansing, MI
Michigan League of Conservation Voters , Ann Arbor, MI
National Wildlife Federation, (NWF), Great Lakes Regional Office, Ann Arbor, MI
Planet Detroit, Detroit, MI
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, Leelanau County, MI
The Nature Conservancy, Michigan , Lansing, MI
Tollgate Farms, MSU, Novi
University of Michigan Arboretum, Ann Arbor, MI
University of Michigan Campus Farm, Ann Arbor, MI
COMMUNITY
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Ann Arbor, MI
Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, Boston, MA
Dedham Massachusetts Community Support, Dedham, MA
Glen Lake Community Library, Empire, MI
Heidelberg Project, Detroit, MI
GRANT HISTORY
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Establish an endowment for an administrative fund
In 2000 the Foundation established the Judy Nold Administrative Endowment Fund at the Ann Arbor Area Coumunity foundation where Judy Nold, (formerly Judy Porter) had been a Trustee and Chair of the Board of Trustees. Administrative Funds at the Community Foundation are established to help fund the Foundation’s administrative expenses so more of the Foundation’s funds can go to support community needs. The fund was established to honor Judy Nold, Mother of two of the officers of the Porter Family Foundation which has continued to make contributions to the Fund since it’s inception.
Center for michigan:bridge, YPSILANTI, MI
Provided funding for the first environmental reporter in Michigan in 15 years
Bridge, an online public service newspaper with the largest viewership in Michigan, raised funds to support the hiring of the first environmental journalist to work for a Michigan news organization in more than 10 years. In 2017, the foundation joined other foundations in funding this important work. The announcement by Bridge of this important addition to their team may be found here: http://www.bridgemi.com/center-michigan/bridge-magazine-hiring-new-michigan-environmet-reporter. The Foundation continues to support a Bridge environmental journalist to ensure coverage of Michigan environmental issues.
COALITION FOR IMPROVING MATERNITY SERVICES-BOSTON, MA
Provided funding to scale a vital health service
In 2000 The Porter Family Foundation made its first grant to provide $2500 of start up capital and a $10,000 challenge grant to raise the capital to establish this important organization. The Coalition, known as CIMS, was founded to promote and provide continuing education for a wellness model of maternity care that improves outcomes and lowers costs. The organization held workshops throughout the country and provided consulting services to institutions globally. CIMS became an important partner to UNESCO.
DAMON J. KEITH CENTER FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DETROIT, MI
Provided initial funding to establish the Race & Justice Reporting Initiative
To change the public will to support climate action from a policy and legislation perspective, a community action perspective, and from a personal action standpoint, we need to gain the support of disadvantaged communities and people of color. The Race & Justice Reporting Initiative was founded to develop a pipeline of trained journalists of color to report on climate impacts, resilience and mitigation in Michigan. The need to develop BIPOC journalists who live in and write for disadvantaged communities is huge. It is a critical and urgent requirement for gaining the understanding and support of disadvantaged community members for climate action.
The initiative relies on a partnership of three experienced organizations working together to recruit and train prospective BIPOC journalists who write about their communities. The journalism organizations then publish the stories of these budding journalists.
The Foundation’s funds supported the formation of the initiative and continue to fund stipends for the journalists. It continues to raise additional funds from others to support this work.
An early example of one of the stories published is “Getting the lead out of Detroit’s Soil” by Rukiya Colvin and may be found at https://planetdetroit.org/2021/08/getting-the-lead-out-of-detroits-soil/.
Dedham, Massachusetts Community Support
Funding for community place building
One of the Foundation’s Trustees lives in Dedham, MA, a small community on the outskirts of the Boston where she has worked to better the community by supporting a number of key community institutions and programs which have included:
- Community Farm Outreach, Waltham, MA
The Foundation provided initial funding to help this community farm build a desperately needed new greenhouse to keep up with the needs of its growing membership.
- Dedham Community House, dedham, ma
When this local community center built a swimming pool, the Foundation provided a grant to provide memberships to low-income families.
- Dedham Heritage Rail Trail, Dedham, MA
The Foundation provided a grant to help fund a feasibility study for the potential conversion of an abandoned rail bed to a linear park and trail.
- Dedham School of Music, dedham, ma
The Dedham School of Music was founded to fill a gap in the community when public schools had to discontinue their elementary school music program. The Foundation has provided regular support to help provide music lessons and programming in the community.
- Dedham Water Trail, dedham, ma
Dedham was originally settled, in 1636, by settlers who traveled from Cambridge along the Charles River. Until recently, though contemporary residents of Dedham had little access to or awareness of the Charles. The Foundation helped establish the Dedham Water Trail, a 7.2 mile course along the Charles River with boat launches and historical markers to increase access for recreation and encourage better stewardship of the waterway
- Mother Brooks Art Center, dedham, ma
When the Town of Dedham decommissioned a decrepit elementary school building, it was repurposed to the Mother Brook Arts and Community Center. The Foundation has helped with several projects to renovate the building, including the transformation of the school gym into a performance space which is now used for films, dance, and live music events.
- Multi-generational Activity Park, Dedham, MA
The foundation has supported the work of local non-profit Livable Dedham to establish a multi-generational exercise area at an existing local track and field. When completed, the park will offer outdoor exercise equipment for adults of all ages, with a focus on older residents.
- WILLIAM B. GOULD MEMORIAL PARK AND SCULPTURE, Dedham, MA
The Foundation contributed to a fund create a memorial park and sculpture to honor the memory and tell the story of a remarkable man who escaped slavery overcoming overwhelming odds, and then served in the US Navy during the civil war. Following the war he served as a civic leader for decades in Dedham, MA
Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, DETROIT, MI
Provided the lead challenge grant for an innovative new fundraising program
The Porter Family Foundation provided the lead grant to enable the Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice to experiment with a new and vitally needed fund raising program. The Foundation’s grant was used as a match for funds raised during a 5 day fundraising blitz that highlighted a different environmental justice issue each day. Issues featured were climate change, workforce development, health, energy and sustainability, all of which unfairly impact disadvantaged communities. In addition to providing the match, the Foundation provided coaching and mentoring to the organization so that they could use the 5 Day Blitz as a base for expanded and more effective future fundraising. The number of donors participating in the event more than tripled the level of participation from prior years.
Following the project DWEJ wrote to the foundation:
"With a new website driving our message and original content, our audience is growing and responding. Not only are we seeing an increase in first time donors, but we are also hearing and receiving donations from people who supported us in the past and who are happy to see the changes that we made. These are changes that you helped to make a reality."
DISCOVERY CENTER & PIER, TRAVERSE CITY, MI
To support the capital campaign to convert an old coal dock into a barrier-free public park for programs related to the Great Lakes.
The Foundation supported Discovery Pier’s capital campaign for converting an old coal dock on Grand Traverse Bay on the edge of Traverse City to a center of programming related to the Great Lakes, especially for special needs people and underprivileged youth. For many people, the Center’s facilities will enable their very first visit to the Great Lakes. It will also enable Great Lakes related non-profits to expand their services to meet the needs of a broader population, including adults and children from vulnerable groups.
The pier is now the first and only public fishing pier in the Traverse City area.
Before Improvements After Improvements
eCOLOGY CENTER, ANN ARBOR, MI
Founding of Ann Arbor 350
The Porter Foundation joined with the Ecology Center to initiate “Ann Arbor 350,” a program to bring visibility to the need for addressing climate change on a local level. Ann Arbor 350 was inspired by the global 350.org campaign of people around the world working together to find solutions to the climate crisis. An early highlight of that movement was the International Day of Climate Action, when millions of people all over the earth –from Alaska to Zaire, from Beijing to Washington D.C. – came together in 5,200 demonstrations in 2012 demanding immediate action to deal with the climate problem.
The purpose of this project was to initiate a program to mobilize citizen action for making dramatic measurable reductions in the release of greenhouse gases in the Ann Arbor area. Local action is critical because climate solutions require innovation, and innovation usually starts on a small scale. Additional funds were raised by the Ecology Center to meet the conditions of the match to the Porter Family Foundation Grant and a staff person was hired to focus on Climate Change and begin to build a program of action.
Over time, Ann Arbor 350 morphed into the Ann Arbor Climate Partnership whose mission is to engage and guide the larger Ann Arbor community (residents, neighborhoods, businesses, nonprofits, local governments, educational institutions, etc.) to achieve the goals of the Ann Arbor Climate Action Plan (CAP) and to strengthen partnerships with the University of Michigan to mitigate climate change, adapt to its impacts and ensure both economic vitality and social justice.
Increase public awareness of Ann Arbor climate action plan
The Porter Family Foundation assisted the Ecology Center, as leader of a consortium of non-profits and governmental groups, to elevate public awareness of the City’ Climate Action Plan. The Foundation provided a challenge grant to kick off fundraising for a $100,000 marketing plan to inform and engage area citizens.
Grant to form a PFAS Action Network for Michigan
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of chemicals widely used in manufacturing and consumer products. They are often referred to as “forever” chemicals because their strong carbon-fluorine bonds don’t break down in nature. PFAS contamination is widespread in Michigan. Due to the persistence of PFAS and their ubiquitous ongoing usage, communities across Michigan are simultaneously dealing with PFAS now and PFAS released generations ago.
To reduce and ultimately eliminate PFAS contamination in Michigan communities and bodies of water in the state, the Porter Family Foundation, with partners in the foundation community, worked to create and support a statewide network of non-profits to address this growing environmental and health problem. The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor stepped up to organize the network, named the PFAS Action Network, made up of individuals from PFAS impacted communities, environmental organizations, and health-focused organizations to put together a comprehensive plan to tackle PFAS pollution in Michigan. The Network aims to stop future and ongoing PFAS contamination, seek cleanup of contaminated sites and ensure that new PFAS standards are created to protect health and our aquatic ecosystems.
The Network is now called the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network and has successfully raised the awareness of the PFAS problem to lead Michigan officials to stop purchasing products containing PFAS, to create one of the country’s first take-back programs for PFAS-containing firefighting foam, and to establish strong health-protective drinking water standards. The network now works with 18 communities to help alleviate their contamination and health problems caused by PFAS.
ECOWORKS, Detroit, MI
Carbon neutrality program for Detroit neighborhoods
The Foundation worked with EcoWorks to develop a pilot program for organizing neighborhoods and urban communities to develop plans and programs to achieve carbon neutrality. The program, named Net Zero F.A.S.T. (Net Zero For All Starting Today), was intended to be a campaign to unite residents, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, businesses, and municipalities in Southeast Michigan, many of which are disadvantaged communities, in the effort to combat climate change and ensure a vibrant, equitable, resilient future.
The goal of the grant was to begin to recruit 25 new communities and businesses to test and develop the implementation plan for Net Zero with ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services), the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the United States. With management and strategy changes at EcoWorks, together with the challenge of implementing this program during the Pandemic, the program was put on hold and resources went to support the organization’s Eco-D program to build strong community organizations in disadvantaged communities.
Photo: Ecoworks
Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), Chicago, IL
Intervene with Michigan Public Service Commission to block Enbridge Corporation from building a tunnel across the Straits of Mackinac
The Foundation provided a grant to ELCPC to intervene at the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on behalf of both ELPC and the Michigan Climate Action Network (MICAN, also a Porter Family Foundation grantee) to oppose Enbridge’s request for an Order that would approve the siting of a new tunnel for its aging oil pipelines below the Straits of Mackinac. ELPC’s case against the permit application was also submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Michigan Department of Energy, and the Great Lakes and Environment (EGLE).
The grant funded expert testimony to argue that:
Enbridge’s arguments for a public need for the proposed tunnel and oil pipeline do not warrant the risk to the straits from the process of building a tunnel and therefore do not support the rationale for a tunnel.
The proposed tunnel and pipeline will cause environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated.
In April, 2021, the Michigan Public Service Commissioners (MPSC) issued a landmark ruling that the Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) requires an analysis of GHG emissions from Enbridge’s oil pipeline for its review of an Enbridge tunnel proposal. This was a historic decision as it marked the first time greenhouse gas emissions would be included in a review under the Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) and established the precedent for all future MEPA cases to consider the impact of GHG emissions as well.
Funding for ELPC’s Understanding and Addressing Climate Change Impacts of the Great Lakes
The Porter Family Foundation provided funding to help support the ELPC’s 2019 Confluence Conference for scientists and policy makers to share research and policy findings regarding the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes. The Conference proceedings were then summarized in a widely publicized scientific report, Great Lakes Climate Report, which also received substantial coverage in media around the Great Lakes.
Funding ELPC’s support for Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to enforce its use of the NPDES Permit system to control harmful waste discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOS).
CAFOs are large livestock factories that house hundreds to thousands of animals in a confined space, until the animals are sold to large meat processing plants. Animals in CAFOs produce an extraordinary amount of waste. While the responsible application of nutrients from manure can be a reasonable use for the manure, in Michigan and other Midwest states it is well documented that farmers are spreading far more waste than is necessary to provide the nutrients that keep the land productive and healthy. The excess waste then finds its way into our waterways and ground water. It is also now well documented that this waste is a major contributor to algae blooms that have closed down public drinking water supplies in Lake Erie and threaten to do the same in Lake Huron.
ELPC, on behalf of itself and many of the leading environmental groups in Michigan intervened in a challenge to EGLE’s permitting process by the Farm Bureau.
ERB INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Funded a contest for U of M students to learn the most effective climate messaging for young people
In 2013, when the words climate change and global warming were rarely used for fear of a negative reaction, the Porter Family Foundation proposed a competition to the Erb Institute to encourage groups of students to develop ways to talk about Climate Change without polarizing the audience. The Foundation sought to learn how the younger generation thinks about climate change and what communication themes and strategies might be effective when talking about Climate Change to encourage action while having a minimum risk of creating an offsetting negative backlash. Students competed to produce the best 90 second service announcement videos for broadening the base of support and or action to manage Climate Change. 7 other funders joined the Foundation in supporting this important competition. The winning videos are presented on the following Erb Institute web page:
FLOW, FOR LOVE OF WATER, TRAVERSE CITY, MI
Funding to recruit and hire a full-time legal director
Flow’s mission is to safeguard the Great Lakes by advancing public trust solutions and cutting-edge policy work. Through their targeted policy initiatives, FLOW has built key partnerships with state and regional Great Lakes groups, to influence and impact state agencies and state and federal legislation regarding water, energy, food, and climate change in the Great Lakes. FLOW’s solution-oriented work comes at a time when the health of the Great Lakes hangs in the balance, and citizens and leaders are looking for viable long-term policies to improve and protect them.
The Foundation was pleased to be able to help fund FLOW’s first full-time legal director, responsible for building on Flow’s legal power, policy acumen and partnerships-especially among tribes, conservation groups, frontline communities, justice organizations and scientists-to ensure the waters of the Great Lakes Basin are healthy, public and protected for all.
FRESH ENERGY (ENERGY NEWS NETWORK), MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Funding for an environmental reporting fellowship program for BIPOC journalists.
The stories and narratives that most impact the lives of low-income people of color are too often not told in traditional media, especially when it comes to the environment. The climate/environmental movement have historically been segregated spaces, with white-led organizations largely setting the narratives. Sensational and over-simplified headlines from local and national news outlets often drown out authentic local narratives, obfuscate facts, and leave little room for the nuanced storytelling that brings light to issues that matter most to disenfranchised communities of color.
The goal of the Foundation’s grant is to create an ongoing fellowship program to help aspiring journalists of color learn about journalism and the environment to start a career path to journalism. By making it easier for people of color to become journalists, and particularly environmental journalists, we are striving to:
1. Create a larger pool of BIPOC journalists who will be able to report on environmental and climate issues from their communities and about their communities.
2. Publish more environmentally related stories and narratives that impact the lives of low-income people of color.
3. To educate and activate people of color in disadvantaged communities to better understand environmental and climate threats and to more effectively advocate for solutions in their communities and beyond
4. To build bridges between their communities and the broader climate and clean energy movement.
To address this challenge, Energy News Network, Planet Detroit, and the Detroit Equity Action Lab (at the Keith Center) worked together to mentor reporters through a joint reporting fellowship. The selected journalist co-published stories in Planet Detroit and the Energy News Network focused on energy and environment issues with a lens on Detroit and Michigan.
Glen Lake Community Library, Empire, MI
Participated in funding a new and updated library to serve two rural Michigan counties
The Glen Lake Community Library outgrew its facilities and needed to build a new building. With a diverse array of collections and services, the library functions as a vital information hub and gathering place for the community where the Porter Family spends its summers. The library serves as a needed cultural center for the community providing a media and film center, additional space for individual and group children learning, areas for individual, small group and community meetings, a safe place for students to study after school, and a place where people can use new learning technology.
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, (FORMERLY MICHIGAN LAND USE INSTITUTE), TRAVERSE CITY, MI
Growing thriving farms and healthy children initiative
In 2006 -08 the Foundation supported the Michigan Land Use Institute’s (MLUI) Growing Thriving Farms and Healthy Children initiative by funding its expansion into Leelanau County and establishing a web site to publicize the process for bringing food from farms to schools, the lessons learned and the resources required. The goal of the initiative was to make purchasing fresh, healthy, local food from area farms a normal course of business for northwest Michigan schools as a way to increase the healthy food that school children eat, open new markets for area farms, and ultimately protect valuable farmland in northwest Michigan. The Glen Lake Schools, with the assistance of the Leelanau School, became the partner schools for the program’s introduction into Leelanau County.
MLUI also used the funding to create a unique-in-Michigan online toolkit of successful farm-to-cafeteria models, food service resources, curricula, and engaging activities to make the results of MLUI’s valuable experience in this field available to other schools so the program could be expanded to others as quickly and easily as possible. The site aimed to help schools integrate “farm-to-cafeteria” food into their existing classroom, cafeteria, and community activities. This Web tool included a ground-breaking online marketplace and communications hub for school buyers, farms, delivery services, and processors, which promises to open doors to other buyers such as hospital food service.
Financial support for the first public rally to call attention to the Enbridge pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac
On short notice (48 hours), the Foundation provided funds for Groundworks (then MLUI) in 2014 to stage the first public demonstration and rally to call attention to Line 5, the then 61 year old pipeline under the straits of Mackinac used to ship oil from Alberta, Canada to processing plants in Detroit and Sarnia, Ontario. The rally proved to be a catalytic event resulting in the organization of several non-profit groups formed to focus on pipeline safety and ultimately, eliminating the pipeline from the Great Lakes.
Photo Credit: J Carl Ganter/circleofblue.org
Around 400 people rallied to raise awareness about an aging oil pipeline that runs under the Mackinac Straits and the event was picked up by the national media and began years of publicity about the risk Line 5 posed to the Great Lakes.
To help Michiganders participate in the nation’s first national climate march -
PEOPLES CLIMATE ACTION MARCH IN NEW YORK CITY
In September 2014, the Foundation helped to underwrite busses to take citizens from around the state and University of Michigan Students to the National Peoples Climate Action March in New York City. Groundworks, together with the Ecology Center, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, worked together to organize the Michigan delegation to the Climate March. This grant provided the only public transportation from Michigan to New York City for the March.
HURON RIVER watershed council, ann arbor, mI
To support one of the first climate resilience programs in the country for river sustainability
In 2011, the Huron River Watershed Council saw the need to educate the stakeholders along the Huron River about Climate Change and developed a program entitled “Making Climate Resilient Communities through a Watershed Approach.” The Porter Family Foundation led an effort to collaborate with several family foundations to join with the Mott Foundation in providing funding. A description of the project and the perspective of the foundations who funded it may be found in an article in the Council of Michigan e-news link at: http://www.michiganfoundations.org/scmf/doc.asp?CID=335&DID=56834
A follow-on grant allowed the Watershed Council to establish permanent processes for coordinating climate change resilience and adaptation along the river and to publish their ground breaking work so that other watersheds throughout the country could adopt their newly established best practices for managing river watersheds during this period of rapid global warming.
The foundation received this letter of appreciation from Laura Rubin, the Executive Director:
“It has been a joy and very fruitful to work with you and the Porter Family Foundation. Thank you for your help and leadership on the project “Making Climate Resilient Communities on a Watershed Level.” Your advocacy on the project vision and goals to other family foundations allowed us to secure the Mott Foundation grant and gain their excitement about making this a pilot project and enabled us to reach our fundraising goals. It is a great example of the power of small and large foundations in making an impact.”
Elevate public awareness of microplastics in our water systems and test possible mitigation approach
The Huron River has the highest concentration of microplastics in Michigan’s rivers. The Porter Family Foundation supported work to raise the public’s awareness of this problem, to test an action that individuals can take to remove microplastics, and to monitor the river to measure the effectiveness of these two approaches. The program was believed to be the first in the country to make a grass-roots effort to reduce microplastics.
To help make the Huron River a public facing amenity to communities in southeast Michigan
In 2014 the Porter Family Foundation made a grant to the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) to support its RiverUp! Campaign to restore and revitalize the Huron River. It was a signature place-making initiative that aimed to transform the Huron River corridor into a premier destination in Michigan and the Great Lakes. HRWC was the leader of the public + private partnership that executed the RiverUp! Plan developed to improve river health, recreation access, and water-related investments in local economies along the river. Key accomplishments include:
· The Huron River Water Trail (HRWT) developed by HRWC was designated as the 18th National Water Trail in 2015.
· 15 river access projects were completed that included dam portages, canoe and kayak launches, kiosks and signage.
· Completion of a successful capital campaign that raised more than $2.5 million for RiverUp!
· The river now boasts 2.6 million visitor days annually to the river corridor
· 5 Trail Towns to welcome trail users and 5 new trail-related local businesses meet the needs of river recreationists
Institute for Energy and InnovatioN, LANSING, MI
To provide staffing assistance to the newly created Office of Climate and Energy (OCE) within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes
When the Michigan’s Office of Climate and Energy was created in 2018 no funding was provided for the Director to hire any staff. The Porter Family Foundation funded a part time position during the initial year of the Office to provide the new Director with the assistance needed to begin to get things done.
To accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in Michigan
The Porter Family Foundation provided the Institute for Energy and Innovation (IEI) with several grants to build consensus with industry and the State of Michigan to accelerate the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV’s) and work towards the electrification of transportation as needed to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. An initial grant in 2018 supported the convening of the 140 + member Michigan Energy and Innovation Business Council (MBEIC) to gather information and buy-in to pave the way for more rapid adoption of EVs in the state. MBEIC’s members are the automotive suppliers who will lead the transition to EV’s and build the electric vehicles of the future.
Subsequent grants in 2019 and 2020 were made to IEI to assist the state of Michigan to develop its plan for EV adoption, and more specifically for utilizing money from the Volkswagon settlement to the best advantage of the state. Key policy makers in state government indicated that they needed outside assistance to give the EV opportunity the attention it deserved and asked IEI to propose an EV strategy for the state, the steps necessary for implementation, and a plan for obtaining the support of key external groups and policy makers to accelerate adoption for a set aspirational goals for transportation electrification.
The Foundation supported IEI’s work to research and develop a detailed set of administrative actions for the Whitmer Administration. Through meetings, phone interviews, and research, IEI examined administrative solutions from other states to understand what policies were implementable and most likely to succeed in Michigan. Research also included meetings with Michigan’s key administration and department staff. In the process IEI built consensus with both nongovernmental partners and decision makers for the steps it proposed. The result was a report for the state policy makers to use. See below.
The Foundation then funded IEI to socialize the proposal among business, non-profit and state leaders to build support for the recommended game plan for the state. Read the report here: https://mieibc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/19.12.16-IEI_Administrative-Actions-EV-Report_FINAL.pdf
LEELANAU CONSERVANCY, LELAND, MI
Lead grant to purchase large conservation easement to preserve wildlife corridor
The Foundation provided the first commitment to the Leelanau Conservancy for the purchase of an important parcel of land that was necessary to preserve an important coastal wildlife corridor linking a state forest with the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. At the time of the grant, in 2007, this was the largest easement ever purchased by the Conservancy.
The property was described in the Conservancy’s newsletter as “Nearly a mile of frontage on M-72 and one of the most scenic vistas near Empire has been forever protected through the completion of the Conservancy’s largest conservation easement to-date. An Empire-area family has protected 285 acres that will preserve forever the views seen from the highway as well as from a scenic overlook on County Road 677. The land is predominantly hardwood forest with some planted pines, a small amount of open land and a spring-fed pond.”
“We felt it was very important to protect this land because of the tremendous scenic qualities enjoyed by the public from major roadways, in addition to its important wildlife corridor functions,” says Matt Heiman, Director of Land Protection. “Protecting this un-fragmented block of forestland will also help to preserve a large portion of a wildlife corridor connecting the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore forestland with the Pere Marquette State Forest.” “The health and sustainability of wildlife populations depend on intact corridors of natural habitat to facilitate animal movement and plant dispersal between larger tracts of public forestland.”
MAKE FOOD NOT WASTE, DETROIT, MI
Funding educational video to inform and to urge change re: food waste
More than 30% of all food grown goes to waste and the cost of making and transporting that wasted food adds to the nation’s oversupply of carbon in the atmosphere. The Foundation made a grant to Make Food Not Waste to help address the problem of food waste and its impact on climate change. We funded a movie to be shown at the first Michigan Healthy Climate Conference, in April 2023 to help educate the non-profit and philanthropic communities about the need to dramatically reduce food waste. The movie was a great success in showing people what they can do to make a difference. It continues to be shown at environmental gatherings and on numerous web sites to help elevate the issue.
MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL, LANSING, MI
Founded an urgent action fund for environmental emergencies
The Foundation provided initial funding to establish an Urgent Action Fund to enable the Council (MEC) to mobilize resources quickly to respond to urgent needs for legislative action for important environmental problems and issues. A portion of the commitment was a challenge grant to raise an additional $50,000 for the Action Fund. The Grant to MEC was made in 2005. More than $200,000 was raised to support the Action Fund.
Community of Practice for BIPOC Environmental Non Profit Leaders
In working with BIPOC lead environmental groups in Detroit, the Foundation observed that nonprofit executive directors (EDs), their boards, and their funders are struggling today to achieve racial equity in organizations addressing urgent and critical environmental problems (often steeped in environmental justice challenges), particularly in disadvantaged communities. Without effective leadership, their efforts are more costly and less effective than needed to address today’s needs. They also struggle to build a pipeline of new leaders to succeed them and to help populate leadership positions in both BIPOC and traditionally white organizations.
The Porter Foundation recruited the Michigan Environmental Council to be a partner in establishing a community of practice to bring groups of BIPOC executive directors together to build trust, to learn more about leadership, and to learn how to develop and work with an effective board of directors. This peer learning vehicle will become a place where EDs can talk to and learn from each other about what is missing from their work lives. Through in person meetings the group will focus on sharing best practices, identifying common goals to work on, and co-creating new knowledge to advance the quality of their professional practice.
Photo of the initial group’s first meeting in November, 2023:
Michigan Climate Action Network, LANSING, MI
Co-founded and funded the first Michigan advocacy group focused entirely on climate change
In 2015 our federal and state governments were unwilling to consider legislation to help mitigate global warming and to create more resilient communities. People at that time found it uncomfortable to use the words climate change or global warming to talk about the existential threat of rapid global warming. The Porter Family Foundation believed we could not afford to wait for state and federal governments to address climate change so it was critical that we elevate the issues of climate change with citizens and voters, to label the problem what it is, climate change, and to urge citizens to work for climate action in the communities where they live and work. To begin this effort the Foundation worked with several of the leading non-profit groups in Michigan to create the Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN), a network of groups and individuals to work together to build and mobilize a powerful grassroots movement in our state to call for local and state policies to put us on a path to climate stability and climate justice. MiCAN supports citizen and community actions that bring urgency and advance progress to slow climate change.
Once launched, MiCAN quickly developed a strong following on social media and in a few years had created the largest social media presence in the state among non-profit environmental advocacy groups. MiCAN became the leading voice for climate advocacy in the state and augmented the voices of other advocacy and community groups. In 2019 the organization convened the first ever Climate Action Summit in the state and is a leader in promoting climate action policies, working with communities and non-profits to implement climate action plans, and elevating awareness of the need for urgent action with the state’s citizens. The Foundation provided the startup capital for this important venture and has continued to provide funding since its inception. Information about MiCAN may be found on its web site here https://www.miclimateaction.org/about_mican and its Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/MIClimateAction/
Photo: Michigan Climate Action Network
In 2022, the Foundation provided a challenge grant to MICAN to raise money for a strategic planning process to help guide the organization’s efforts for the next phase of its work, to help Michigan achieve the United Nation’s IPCC goal of reducing carbon emissions by more than 50% by 2030. The Foundation was the lead funder for this very successful process.
In 2023 MiCAN’s vision became a reality as the governor signed into law the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan, law landmark legislation to push the state away from climate-warming fossil fuels to become carbon neutral (100% clean energy!) by 2040. In addition to providing for energy storage, while expanding energy efficiency and customer-sited renewables, enabling siting of wind, solar, and storage projects, the legislation is expected to create thousands of new jobs. In signing the new legislation the Governor said it “will “make Michigan the best state in the Midwest for climate action and the strongest state in the nation when it comes to labor standards for clean energy production,” MiCAN promoted and galvanized citizen support for the legislation to help it become a reality.
MICHIGAN LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, ANN ARBOR, MI
Grant to transition from paper to web communications
To broaden the reach of the League, recruit a new generation of members, increase fundraising and infuse the League’s work with increased action and collaboration, the Porter Family Foundation helped to fund a plan to transform the League’s two organizational websites (MichiganLCV.org and MichiganLCVEdFund.org) into vibrant, digital hubs that will showcase its programmatic breadth and inspire individual and community action in support of its mission. These changes helped MLCV to transition from paper reports to online reporting and public awareness.
The Foundation subsequently funded a program to build and obtain awareness for the organization’s companion web site, www.greatmichigan.org which was essential for providing a vehicle for the citizens of Michigan to learn more about local and state wide environmental problems and solutions. For more information, Tom Porter describes the program on this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UyPRnirh0o. Since beginning this work the MLCV has increased its network of members and followers by 50 times!
Grant to develop program for MLCV to produce videos of environmental advocacy stories
During 2017 and 2018 the Porter Family Foundation worked with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (MLCV) to develop affordable ways for the MLCV team to be able to capture citizen stories about the environment, environmental justice or injustice, and climate change so that people’s stories could be used to help educate others in Michigan, and particularly legislators, about the need for equitable environmental action. The program, called “Your Story, Your Voice,” then utilized social media to share these powerful stories as broadly as possible.
National Wildlife Federation/Wolfpack, GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CENTER, ANN ARBOR, MI
Grant to University of Michigan to model impact of a spill from Line 5 at the Straits of Mackinac
To create greater awareness of the risks of a ruptured oil pipeline across the straights of Mackinac among the citizens of Michigan and neighboring Great Lakes States, the Foundation proposed a project to model the impact of a oil spill in the event that an immediate response did not occur, like in the winter, or like happened to the Enbridge pipeline accident several years before in Marshall, MI. The Marshal, MI spill was at that time the largest inland pipeline spill in the country.
The Porter Family Foundation initiated the project, granted half of the project cost and raised the balance through the Ann Arbor Wolfpack. The results of this project were widely publicized in papers and television stations throughout Michigan and the Midwest and were used in countless advocacy meetings to demonstrate the danger the pipeline is to the sustainability of the great lakes. The graphic below shows the area where oil would go in the event of an oil spill at the straits of Mackinac.
The graphic below shows the area where oil would go in the event of an oil spill at the straits of Mackinac. The Porter Family Foundation initiated the project, granted half of the project cost and raised the balance through the Ann Arbor Wolfpack. The results of this project were publicized in papers throughout Michigan and the Midwest and were used in countless advocacy meetings to demonstrate the danger the pipeline is to the sustainability of the great lakes.
Probability (percent of cases) in which oil is present at any time after initial release
Support development and marketing of videos to highlight human impact of oil spill in Marshall, Michigan and anticipated impact from spill at Straits of Mackinac
To help focus public attention on the threat of the Enbridge Corporation’s oil pipeline buried under the Straits of Mackinac, the Foundation participated in funding of a series of videos to inform the citizens of Michigan about the dangers of oil spills. The subject of these videos was the largest inland spill in the United States, at Enbridge’s Line 6B pipeline in Kalamazoo, Michigan where over 840,000 gallons of oil was spilled in 2010. Since the devastation from this spill was largely unknown, the Wolfpack felt that if citizens understood the dangers of a spill, more Michiganders would support shutting down the Enbridge line 5 pipeline that crosses the Straits. In the videos, impacted citizens spoke out about their initial experiences during the Kalamazoo spill and its aftermath following the Spill. One of the videos featured Larry Bell of Bells Brewery and may be seen here. https://youtu.be/YqLGuNDxPTw
Funding risk analysis studies to assess cost of alternative routing of oil and propane from shutting down Line 5 across Straits of Mackinac
The Porter Family Foundation joined with other funders from the Wolfpack to provide funding to initiate a study to identify alternative ways of supplying propane gas to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan should the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline across the straits of Mackinaw be decommissioned. A report was urgently needed to provide the basis and rationale for the state to order closure of the pipeline and to dispel the myth that Michigan’s Upper Peninsula would not be able to obtain propane gas without the pipeline. This initial funding also aimed to force a position to shut down from candidates for Governor in the upcoming elections if not the current administration in Lansing. It also enabled NWF to obtain a substantial grant from the Mott Foundation, to complete the funding needed for a full risk analysis and evaluation of alternatives for Line 5.
Funding to support the climate action work of NWF’s affiliate, The Wolfpack
The Foundation has worked to establish a vehicle (initially known as the Washtenaw County Climate Collaborative) to drive and coordinate cooperation among institutions in Washtenaw County to achieve carbon neutrality as quickly as possible and to support the City of Ann Arbor’s Climate Action Plan.
PLANET DETROIT, DETROIT, MI
Funding to support the Planet Detroit News Hub
Planet Detroit is an online news source launched in 2019 to report on crucial environmental issues and elevate community voices to action, particularly those from vulnerable Black, Brown and immigrant communities. Its mission is: Hold power accountable; Uncover solutions; Reflect and serve the community. By cultivating and building a growing group of Detroit and Southeast Michigan residents, grassroots organizers and environmental leaders, it has been able to connect a growing number of people around local opportunities for enjoying and protecting the environment, and for advocating for climate action.
Planet Detroit is particularly focused on prioritizing and centering the needs of disadvantaged communities, from the voices of those communities, to help accelerate their participation and leadership in climate and environmental action.
Planet Detroit was honored by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters at its Fall, 2022 annual gala and awards ceremony because “they truly do what they are committed to doing: help us all get smarter about the environment in Detroit and Michigan. They focus on investigative reporting (which has slowly been dying) and they have a deep commitment to community engagement around critical local issues.”
Funding to identify the impact of Planet Detroit communities in Southeast Michigan
The foundation encouraged Planet Detroit to learn more about its impact and helped to fund a study to do that and to help guide its strategies going forward to further optimize its impact.
preserve historic sleeping bear, leelanau county, mi
Grant to fund an office to achieve greater visibility and capacity for the organization
In 2003 the Foundation provided an initial challenge grant of $30,000 to raise capital for the renovation of an historic building on the main highway in the Sleeping Bear National Lake Shore that could serve as the organization’s headquarters and become a visible symbol of the need for and benefits from restoring historic buildings in the Park. Approximately $120,000 was ultimately raised for the organization’s new headquarters. The Foundation also provided a smaller challenge grant to help encourage the recruitment of new members and an additional grant to enable the organization to increase capacity by hiring a summer intern.
Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, LEELANAU COUNTY, MI
First challenge grant to fund the segment of the trail from Empire, MI, to the Dune Climb in the National Lakeshore
The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a non-motorized paved trail which follows the coast of Lake Michigan through wetlands, forests, and historic Port Oneida in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. When complete, it will stretch 26 miles, connecting Empire to the Northern end of the National Lakeshore. The Foundation also provided a grant to complete the trail’s Northern most section scheduled for 2025.
SOULARDARITY, highland park, mi
To support fundraising for the Energy Equity for All Fund to help low income people obtain rooftop solar
Soulardarity is building energy democracy and affordability in Highland Park (a small city within Detroit) and neighboring communities. It has successfully developed new models for energy delivery that we think can be scaled to other low income neighborhoods.
The goal of the grant was to make it easier for people who own homes in disadvantaged communities to be able to purchase rooftop energy so they can obtain clean, renewable and affordable energy.
The Foundation supported the formation and fund raising for the Energy Equity for All Fund to provide grants and access to financing to residents who are unable to utilize income tax credits for solar installations or to qualify for conventional financing. This is particularly important in poor communities where houses tend to be older and more poorly insulated. Research shows that homes in low-income areas use 25 to 60 percent more energy per square foot than those in wealthier neighborhoods yet extremely low property values and low income make it difficult for owners to upgrade their homes let alone install rooftop solar. Grants to households from the Energy Equity for All Fund will put Highland Park residents on an equal footing with wealthier neighbors who are able to utilize federal subsidies and conventional financing.
For market research to understand how to optimize messaging about roof top solar benefits
The Foundation provided funding and helped to recruit resources to help Soulardarity increase the effectiveness of its marketing messaging and materials and more effectively communicate the benefits of roof top solar for Highland Park (and City of Detroit) residents.
To provide capacity for the organization’s work
Eco-Demonstration Home on Farmer’s Market Day By Hope Village Revitalization.
University of Michigan Gardens and Natural Areas
River front restoration and construction of visitor amenities in Nichols Arboretum
The Foundation provided the initial challenge grant to raise the capital necessary to save and enhance one of the most beautiful settings in Nichols Arboretum, the central riverfront area where the trails converge at the Huron River, by creating riverbank erosion preventions, by providing stable visitor access to the river, and by providing an environmental education demonstration project. The initial $25,000 challenge grant from the Foundation helped to secure more than $200,000 in other grants and gifts for the Arboretum’s river front restoration project. In addition to the shoreline erosion control measures, the park-like setting now boasts stairs to the river, a canoe access point, benches and more grass area for people to sit and enjoy the river.
Restoration and cataloging of the Peony Garden at the Nichols Arboretum
Photo: Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan
The peony garden at the Nichols Arboretum is believed to be the largest public peony garden in North America and is a treasured destination for more than 400,000 visitors annually. The Foundation provided the initial grant to allow the Arboretum to undertake a major garden conservation initiative to ensure its long-term protection and care while providing a model for the stewardship of other heritage gardens around North America. In addition to rejuvenating the collection, enhancing the surrounding landscape, and improving access to the garden, the project served to ensure the long-term conservation of individual peony cultivars, particularly rare and unique varieties.
Establish a Campus Farm at the University of Michigan
To support the University of Michigan’s efforts to incorporate sustainability in its culture and its teaching, the Campus Farm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens is the symbol of sustainability for the University. It is also at the center of the University’s efforts to teach its students about and become leaders for sustainability. The Farm provides experiential learning to many students who are able to learn about growing food, healthy food, food distribution, and getting food to the disadvantaged as well. The Porter Family Foundation made a three-year commitment to hire a part time farm manager for the first time to manage and grow the program as well. This grant then helped to create the momentum and rationale for a permanent, full time farm manager which the University subsequently funded. With the addition of a full time and highly qualified farm manager in 2016, it was then possible to raise additional funding for hoop houses (which the Foundation also helped to fund) and other equipment to allow the farm to operate full time and begin to grow a substantial amount of food which was then purchased by the University’s dining service. The result: student grown food, consumed by students within 24 hours of being harvested. A true virtuous cycle of locally grown and consumed food.
Photo: Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Garden, University of Michigan
Campus Farm commits to become first U of M unit to achieve carbon neutrality
The Campus Farm students, with its partner organizations, are working to become the first carbon neutral unit on the UM’s Ann Arbor campus. While UM is trying to be carbon neutral by 2040, the students at the Farm want the Farm to be carbon neutral by 2026!
As a first step, they planned to purchase an electronic delivery van (E-van) for distributing the Farm’s produce. The plan includes a solar array to power the charging station, the Farm’s cooler and all of the Farm’s electronic farm tools and implements. The E-van will also serve as a moving billboard to help publicize the Farm and its contribution to the UM’s carbon neutrality goals.
The Foundation suggested the idea, provided a matching grant to attract funders, and helped to recruit funders to help finance the project.
VOICES FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY, ANN ARBOR, MI
To found and support an organization to advocate for carbon neutrality leadership at the University of Michigan
In the face of global warming, the most existential crisis of our time, the Foundation helped to found, organize and lead an organization of faculty and community leaders to urge the University of Michigan to strive to become the leading institute of higher education in America to achieve carbon neutrality, to do so in partnership with the Ann Arbor Community and to re-imagine its educational experience to prepare students to live and work in a rapidly warming world.