The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) was established in 1988 through the merger of The Flint Public Trust, founded in 1950, and the Flint Area Health Foundation, created in 1978. 

Community foundations are unique within the nonprofit world. While many nonprofits carry out programs or deliver direct services, community foundations focus on building and sustaining local resources that support a wide range of causes over time. We serve as a bridge, connecting the generosity of donors with the work of community organizations that strengthen Genesee County. 

Today, CFGF is one of more than 60 community foundations across Michigan, and hundreds nationwide, dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of the communities we serve. Since our founding, CFGF has granted more than $200 million to support the people, programs, and partnerships that help Genesee County thrive. 

Here are six ways CFGF and other community foundations across the country do it: 

 Jayashree (pictured) and Prasad Kommareddi established the Kommareddi Family Fund, which supports the arts, Indian culture, and the Flint Cultural Center. Photo: Jessica Hatter Photography

1. Community foundations make philanthropy local. 

Community foundations help people of all backgrounds give where they live. At CFGF, more than 34,000 donors have established 567 charitable funds to support causes that matter most to Genesee County—from education and healthcare to racial equity, the arts, and environmental stewardship. 

The Flint Promise Scholarship Program offers Flint graduates a guided pathway to helping students achieve completing post-secondary education. Photo: Jessica Hatter Photography

2. Community foundations open doors for students.

Education changes lives. In 2024, 132 students received $386,944 in scholarships through CFGF to continue their education. We also uplift youth voices through our Youth Advisory Committees (YACs), where local students learn to identify community needs, review grant proposals, and make real funding decisions. 

Mott Fest is an annual celebration of local art, music, food, and culture in the Mott Park Recreation Center.

3. Community foundations empower neighborhoods. 

The Flint Neighborhoods Small Grants Program, launched in 1993, has supported 377 grassroots projects with $2.2 million in funding. These small grants have supported citizen-based groups or organizations that are creating the change they want to see in their neighborhoods, such as community gardens, neighborhood cleanups, and events that bring people together. 

The Greater Flint Taskforce on Racial and Social Equity, Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, and the Social Determinants of Health Lab hosted Pathways to Equity, a collaborative event to advance racial and social equity in Flint and Genesee County. Photo: Jessica Hatter Photography

4. Community foundations respond when our communities need us most.  

When the Flint water crisis unfolded in 2016, CFGF joined residents, partners, and advocates to form the Flint Kids Fund, led by Dr. Mona Hanna. Together, the community raised more than $18 million to support the long-term health and development of youth impacted by lead exposure. 

That same responsiveness continues today. Beyond moments of crisis, CFGF invests in the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our community through initiatives like the Community Safety Collaborative, which unites residents, organizations, and local leaders to address the root causes of violence and strengthen civic health. Across Michigan, community foundations continue to coordinate rapid relief and long-term recovery efforts that help communities heal and thrive. 

Racial Healing practitioners in 2022. 

5. Community foundations build belonging. 

Equity and inclusion have been part of CFGF’s story for decades. In 1996, we began hosting community Healing Racism programs, fostering dialogue and understanding. That work evolved into today’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) initiative—an ongoing effort to strengthen relationships, celebrate diversity, and create belonging across Flint and Genesee County. 

Newly-inducted Legacy Society members in 2025. Photo: Jessica Hatter Photography

6. Community foundations help generosity live on.  

Philanthropy is about building something that lasts. More than 120 members of CFGF’s Legacy Society have chosen to include the foundation in their estate plans, ensuring their values continue to make a difference long after their lifetimes. Planned gifts, such as wills, trusts, or charitable bequests, sustain CFGF’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. 

There’s a saying among community foundations: “when you’ve seen one community foundation, you’ve seen one community foundation.” Whether through scholarships for students or grants for community partners, community foundations uniquely serve their own residents.  

Each foundation reflects the character and needs of its community, yet all share the same purpose: to connect generosity with opportunity, today and for generations to come. 

Learn more about CFGF’s history here.