Grantmaking
In 1991, the Fenton Community Fund was established under the leadership of Jack Winegarden. Well-known for his folksy and unabashed style in connecting with donors, Winegarden also served as a Community Foundation trustee from 1992-1999. Winegarden nurtured the growth of the community’s permanent endowment through the establishment of associated funds, like the Florence Michelson Fund, which is advised by the local advisory committee. We are grateful for Jack Winegarden’s vision and the everlasting legacy he created for the South Lakes area.
Give today to the Fenton Community Fund and support homegrown philanthropy in the areas of arts and culture, community development, health and human services, and recreation. A local advisory committee meets throughout the year to review grant applications and advise funding to nonprofits that exclusively benefit the Fenton, Lake Fenton, and Linden communities.
Fenton Grant Advisory Committee
- David Lossing, Chair
- Michele Papatheodore, Vice Chair
- Tom Rupp, Past Chair
- Ron Stack, Trustee Liaison
- Amy Begola
- Charles Boike
- Brice Carter
- Teresa Ciesielski
- Linda Hathaway
- Greg Krueger
- Christine Landaal
- Noah Morgan
- Dr. Gerianne Mulanix
- Patrick Naswell
- Jill Norwood
- Chad Robinson
- Brian Sanderson
- John Scott
- Beverly Tippett
- Mark Piper, Ex-Officio
- Mark Miller, Ex-Officio
Recent Grants
| Organization | Program | Grant Award |
| Clara’s Hope | Year Two Expansion | $ 5,000 |
| Fenton Area Resources and Referral Network Inc. | Personal Care Shop | $ 1,600 |
| Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition | Hyfi Water Gauge Project | $ 2,000 |
| Fenton Area Public Schools | Music Program | $ 5,000 |
| Fenton Community Orchestra | Summer Programming | $ 2,500 |
| YMCA of Flint | Camp Copneconic Scholarships for Fenton Area Youth | $ 3,222 |
| Fenton Center of Hope | Short-term Housing Project | $ 3,500 |
Associated Funds
- Franklin D. Adams Fund
- Richard A. Beardsley Memorial Fund
- James T. Botticelli Scholarship Fund
- William and Alberta Close Endowment Fund for the Loose Senior Center
- William and Alberta Close Memorial Fund
- Fenton Area Public Schools Education Foundation Fund
- Fenton Community Cultural Center Fund
- Fenton High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund
- Fenton Historical Society Endowment Fund
- Horace W. Hitchcock Memorial Fund
- Jason E. King Thinking of Other First Fund
- Lake Fenton Community Schools Foundation Fund
- Loose Senior Center Endowment Fund
- Florence Michelson Fund n Popa Family Endowment Fund
- South Lakes Youth Initiative Program Fund
- Kim and Ginger Virkler Community Trails Fund
- Winegarden Family Endowment Fund