about midwest community foundations' ventures
Community foundations in the Midwest are facing several issues critical to the survival and growth of the region:
• promoting sustainable development
• retaining local and regional wealth for philanthropy
• strengthening the community foundation role of civic engagement
In 2006, Midwest Community Foundations’ Ventures (MCFV) was formed by regional associations in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio as a supporting organization of Council of Michigan Foundations with a Board of Trustees. In 2008, Indiana's regional association of grantmakers joined MCFV. It exists to build stronger communities through collaborative activities by community foundations.
Initiatives will focus on advancing the innovation and growth of community foundations through researching opportunities, networking and learning from each other, providing technical assistance, promoting best practices, capturing efficiencies, and serving as a pilot region for efforts with potential for broader application.
Values
- MCFV seeks balanced representation from each participating state on the Board of Trustees and committees.
- MCFV functions on the same operating principles embodied by the regional associations and community foundations—those of inclusiveness, openness, transparency and mutual respect.
- MCFV prioritizes high-value needs/opportunities to drive program selection that will benefit all community foundations. MCFV acts on fact-based, data-driven, objective information.
- MCVF encourages input from community foundations; MCFV will communicate appropriately and seek consensus.
- MCFV leverages local community foundation investment with private funding.
- MCFV leverages collective action—outcomes and value are greater than if completed individually.
- MCFV models for the field best practices in collaboration and technology.
MCFV works in partnership with these regional associations:
• Council of Michigan Foundations
• Donors Forum in Illinois
• Ohio Grantmakers Forum
• Indiana Grantmakers Alliance